Defying Gravity
by Jenny0719
Summary: Edward Cullen moves to Seattle where he meets and falls in love with Bella Swan. He leaves all of it behind to travel the world, only to find himself lost without Bella. When he returns, he finds that his life is going to change forever.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Twilight, this is just a story I've had running through my head for months now. I know NOTHING about Seattle, just what I've read and looked up on Mapquest. This is my first fanfic so if you want to leave a review, you're more than welcome. Rated M in the summary, however, because of some of the LEMONS that will be featured in the story, I consider this to technically be rated MA--unfortunately, there is no MA rating when you upload a new story.**

**SO IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO READ MATURE/NC-17 STORIES, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE. I'm not interested in getting in trouble because someone else can't follow the rules ;)**

**I have been forced to write a nice little A/N on this story. Parts of it were recently plagiarized and used in another person's fic. The story's been removed, and I've seriously debated on taking this down, but have opted to leave it up so that people can still read it. I know some people would be disappointed if it was gone and I can't see pissing a bunch of people off just because of one person.**

**So please, don't take my words. Use the concept, whatever, but make it your own. If there's a scene you want to use for you fic, PM me. I'll let you use it. Otherwise, remember plagiarism is theft...please be respectful to other authors and not steal their hard work.**

Chapter 1

Bella

_As I approached the tiny red house, my heart sank in my chest. Oh, God. What am I doing here? I looked around and saw my old beat up Chevy parked behind me. Did I drive that? I was sure it was in the junkyard somewhere. I turned back to the house, slammed with old memories so strong, so painful, a sob escaped my throat._

_"Hey, Bells. How're you doing?" a familiar voice asked._

_I looked over towards the sound of the voice and felt my heart leaped into my throat. Jacob._

_"Jacob?" My voice broke on his name. _

_I studied the familiar form beside me and realized my memory hadn't done him justice. He was taller than I'd remembered, his long black hair was tied back into his usual ponytail; his black eyes shining with amusement. His beautiful russet colored skin practically glowed in the overcast light. His lips curved into a wide smile, showing his ultra white teeth._

_He leaned down and kissed my cheek, causing me to sigh. "It's good to see you, Bells."_

_"Jacob, what are you...How are you..." My mouth couldn't form the questions that were racing through my mind._

_He laughed as he took my hand. "It's okay, Bella, relax." He turned back to the house and sighed. "I really miss this place."_

_I turned to look at the house with him. "You know, I haven't been able to come back here since..." My voice trailed off. I willed the memory out of my head._

_"Yeah, I know. You haven't been able to do a lot of things since." I looked at him quizzically. How did he know?_

_I turned back to the house, unwilling to answer him. Suddenly, the view shifted. The tiny red house that held all those unwelcome memories disappeared, a slightly larger house in its place. My brows furrowed as I took in this unfamiliar house now in front of me. It was white, with aluminum siding, and had a small, freshly painted white porch with a wooden swing, welcoming all who came. Jacob took my hand and led me up the steps to the front door. We paused before going in, reading the sign that was nailed to the left of the door. _

_"The Blacks?" I said, looking at Jacob for the answer. "Jacob, where are we?"_

_He merely smiled. "You'll see."_

_We walked through the door and into a small, sage green living room with tan carpeting. Though it was tidy, it was obvious a family with a young child lived here. As I looked at all the toys surrounding me, I heard a child's tinkling laughter. I turned, just as a little girl with russet skin and long black hair came streaking through the room. _

_"Emma, come back here!" I immediately recognized the voice calling the little girl. _

_I looked at Jacob. "Jake, I can't do this. Why are you doing this? Please, take me back," I pleaded._

_"Shh. Just wait a minute."_

_I looked back at the scene unfolding before me to see myself appear at the doorway leading into the living room from the kitchen. I gasped at my appearance. My face looked the same, yet different. My chocolate brown eyes sparkled with life. My long, brown hair was tied back into a ponytail. I was wearing a white t-shirt with an unfamiliar logo and navy sweatpants. I watched as my hand fluttered down to rest on my swollen belly. _

_"Oh, God, oh, God," I muttered to myself. I could feel my heart crack in my chest._

_"Emma, come on. It's time for your bath. Don't you want to be ready for Daddy to tuck you in when he gets home?"_

_"No, wanna pway, Mama," the little girl sang as she walked over to her mother, hugging her leg._

_Just then, the door opened, Jacob's voice booming. "Hey, guys! How're my girls?" _

_The little girl ran to her father squealing. "Daddy's home, Daddy's home!" _

_Jacob picked her up and tossed her in the air before hugging her to his chest. "I missed you Emmy," he said smiling. _

_Still holding the little girl, he walked over to where my figure was still standing and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips as his free hand moved to my belly. _

_"How are you two doing today?" he murmured._

_I looked back at Jacob, tears in my eyes. "Please," I pleaded again. "Please, I can't take this."_

_He looked down at me, his black eyes fierce. "You can still have this you know."_

_"How? You're gone." My heart shattered at the admission._

_"Look," he said, pointing back to the family in front of us. _

_As the scene changed, I noticed we were no longer standing in the green living room. The room around me transformed into a khaki color, much larger than the previous room, with beautiful, polished hardwood floors. A black baby grand piano sat in the corner in front of a row of windows. Everything about this room screamed money from the furnishings to the paintings on the walls. I took in the room around me and noticed that though this room was spotless, a family lived here as well. _

_I looked back to where Jacob and I had stood to find myself still standing there, unchanged. I was still in the same t-shirt and sweatpants, my hand pressed to my swollen belly. I looked to where Jacob had been standing with the little girl and saw they were gone. I struggled to focus on the man who stood in his place. _

_"Jacob, why is he blurry?"_

_"He's only blurry to you." I looked up at him, unable to comprehend what that meant. "I can see him clearly," he clarified._

_"But...why can't I?"_

_"You're not ready," he said simply._

_I looked back at the scene before me in confusion. The little girl was in the blurred man's arms, her arms around his neck. As she looked over at me, I gasped. She was stunning, with the most incredibly unusual hair--almost bronze in color--with shimmering curls bouncing past her shoulders. Her brown eyes, my eyes, twinkled as she watched me. Her mouth curved into a smile when she saw me looking at her and laughed. _

_"Hi, Mama," she said, waving at me._

_I hesitantly waved back at the little girl, feeling a tear run down my cheek. My head was spinning, my heart reeling with the possibility of the man and this child. _

_My child, _our _child, I thought, feeling as though my heart would explode with joy._

_Jacob's large hand wiped my tear away. "Bella," he said seriously. I turned back to him and smiled tentatively. "You need to let me go."_

_My breath hitched. "I don't know how," I said, tears streaming down my face._

_"Yes, you do. Just know, I'll always love you," he said, leaning down and brushing his lips against mine. "Bye, Bells," he whispered._

_"No!" I cried softly, sobbing into my hands as the only one I'd ever loved disappeared, taking everything with him._

* * *

As I struggled to take in my surroundings, I heard a familiar beeping. I looked over, finding the source of the beeping. The alarm clock. I punched at it to turn it off, fueled with anger now that the blissful scene Jacob had shown me was gone. My heart was pounding out of my chest and I inhaled deeply, trying to calm it.

_Just a dream._ The realization cut me like a knife. I took in the familiar pale blue walls of my bedroom, I was pummeled with a sense of loss so strong, I had to choke back a sob.

I'd been in love, or so I'd thought. But the feelings coursing through me were unlike anything I'd ever felt in all my twenty-five years. I loved Jacob Black with everything I had. Yet I couldn't escape the feeling that I felt in the dream. Was that what love really was? If so, what did that make what I felt for Jacob? I had never known anything so strong, so powerful as this.

My cell phone buzzed on the nightstand interrupting my thoughts. Checking the caller ID, I smiled. _Alice_. My outrageously intuitive best friend.

"Hello?" I answered, my voice still thick with sleep.

"Bella? Bella, are you okay? I woke up feeling like something was wrong with you," Alice chirped in my ear so fast I had to concentrate to make sense of it all.

"Alice, I'm fine. Just had a dream, that's all," I replied, trying my best to calm her.

"A bad dream?" Leave it to Alice to start the interrogation at 6 am.

"No, not bad exactly..." I wasn't sure how to describe the feeling it had left me with.

"What do you mean?" Obviously, I was going to have to try.

I relayed the dream to her and tried to express my feelings when I awoke, the love that was radiating from the blurred man, and how _real_ it had all seemed.

"See Bella, I told you that you needed to date more," Alice chided in her high soprano. Always the matchmaker. "I've always told you Jacob would want you to move on, live your life."

"Ah, Alice!" I groaned, "I don't _want_ to date. It's too hard."

I could only count the times I'd been on a date on one hand, never feeling anything for them to go further. And the one I felt something for unwillingly shattered my heart.

"You'll see. This is your subconscious telling you you're ready. And you _are_ going to date. Whether you like it or not." Wonderful. She wasn't going to give up. "Bella, you need to at least _try. _Anyway, Jasper and I will be by later and we can have dinner and hang out."

There was no getting around it. "All right, I'll see you later then. Bye" And with that, I snapped the phone shut and started to get ready for work.

* * *

Rushing into the door to my apartment when I arrived home from work, I nearly fell and crashed my head into the doorknob as I stumbled over the threshold. My debilitating clumsiness left me with a constant barrage of new scrapes, cuts, and bruises. Not to mention the occasional broken bone, sprained joint, and concussion. As a child I wished constantly that it was something I would grow out of. On my eighteenth birthday, I finally gave up and realized it was here to stay.

I bent down to pick up the groceries I'd spilled when I tripped and heard a warm, southern drawl.

"Hey, Bella, you need any help?" Jasper asked as he bent down to pick up the milk.

Exasperated, I blew at some of the hair that had fallen in my eyes. "Thanks, Jazz. I just tried to knock myself out with the doorknob on the way through."

"It wouldn't be a normal day for you without trying to kill yourself at some point," he said chuckling, his cornflower blue eyes shining with amusement. I laughed in response.

"C'mon Bella, let's get started, I'm starving!" Alice said, rushing past me into the kitchen.

My apartment was small, but neat. I had bookcases filled to the brim with books from all genres in every room but the kitchen and bathroom, and if Alice would let me, those two rooms would be filled with books, too. There's the occasional knick-knack, mostly given to me by Alice as an attempt to bring some sort of design into my apartment, and a few photos of family and friends. But anyone could tell of my love for books just by walking into my living room.

I followed her to the kitchen and started prepping. As I was slicing a cucumber for a salad, something caught my attention at the window. I looked out, seeing a little girl with her father, a bicycle being pushed in between them. The little girl hopped on the bike, grinning from ear to ear at her father.

With a push, she was off, pedaling intensely; weaving in the soft grass. She looked back at her father laughing, her father beaming in reply. As the little girl started to turn, I could see she was going to fall. I held my breath, watching as she tumbled to the ground, her legs tangling in the pedals as she fell.

I was so engrossed in the scene unfolding before me, I was unaware of the knife in my hand. I felt a sharp pain streak up my arm, pulling me out of my reverie, immediately sending the metallic scent of blood to my nose.

"Ouch! Oh, no. Oh, jeez. Alice?" I said trying to breathe through my mouth and keeping my eyes shut.

"Bella? Oh, shit! Hang on a sec," she shouted, racing over to me. "Here, let's wrap this around it." She carefully wrapped a dishtowel around my hand.

"Be honest, how bad is it?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Well, I think you're going to need stitches, but other than that, I don't know." Her voice was full of sympathy. She knew how much I hated hospitals.

"Great." I was not looking forward to spending my night in an ER waiting room.

"What were you doing?" Alice asked, confused.

"I was distracted. I was watching a little girl on her bike outside." I could see the look in Alice's eyes; knowing it was because of the dream that the little girl caught my attention in the first place.

"Let's get you to my truck, Bella," Jasper said, breaking up my thoughts, walking me out the door.

"You're too good to me," I said lightheaded. I was in trouble. I wasn't making much sense anymore.

"I don't know about all that, but thanks anyhow," he replied, easing me into the passenger's seat.

"It's okay, Bella. You'll be fine," Alice said soothingly.

"Thanks."

And with that, I was on my way to the local hospital's ER for the third time in a year.

* * *

I walked into the ER, and I noticed some of the few changes since I'd last been treated here. New chairs in the waiting room, fresh paint, and a new wooden playhouse set up for children to play in while their parents looked on. It did nothing to ease my nausea.

I walked with Alice over to the registration desk and waited for the small, strawberry blond woman to look up.

"Can I help you?" she asked sweetly.

"Hi, I cut my hand earlier and need to be seen," I said nervously.

"All right, I'll need you to fill these forms out and bring them back to me with a copy of your insurance, please." I walked off and sat in a chair in the waiting area.

_Breathe, Bella. You can do this._ God, I hated hospitals.

I filled out the appropriate forms and took everything to the registration desk, not waiting for her to look up before turning and going back to my seat. I knew the drill. They'd get to me when they were ready.

Nearly two hours had passed, and I was still sitting nervously with Alice and Jasper at my side. Alice had been bouncing up and down for the last twenty minutes, her impatience finally leaking through.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Alice, can you calm down? You're making me even more nervous than I already am."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm just getting sick of waiting, that's all." She stopped bouncing.

I was just finally beginning to relax when I sensed movement in front of my face. Opening my eyes, I saw my best friend's big, brown eyes just inches away. I jumped, my hand screaming in protest.

"Ah, Alice! What are you doing?" I asked gritting my teeth against the pain that was now throbbing in my palm.

"Bella, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" She was still staring at my face.

"Is there a reason why you're staring at me?" I asked, trying not to cry.

"No...yes....You haven't been using that moisturizer I gave you, have you?" she asked cautiously.

"What? No, I keep forgetting it's there. Why?" I was beginning to sense where this was headed.

"Nothing, it's just...well....Bella, you're so pretty, but you're never going to stay that way unless you take care of your skin!" she scolded. "Just let me fix you up a bit while we wait."

"Ah, Alice..." I groaned.

"Alice, leave Bella alone! She just tried to cut her hand off earlier, she doesn't need you trying to give her a makeover," Jasper said for me.

"Fine," she said sighing. I looked over to see her pouting.

"Oh, Alice, all right." I hated it when she pouted.

"Yea! Thanks Bella!" she said, jumping with joy.

I caught Jasper mouth the word 'Thanks' to me. I smiled back.

Within ten minutes, my long, mahogany hair was in an elegant chignon. My chocolate brown eyes were framed with thick lashes enhanced with mascara, my pale skin was dewy, and my lips were a soft, shimmering pink. I looked at myself in the compact's mirror.

"Alice, I don't think this really goes with the sweats and t-shirt I have on," I said, motioning to the clothes I was wearing.

"Bella, you never know when you might meet a hot doctor," she replied.

"Yeah, 'cause all the guys just are falling at my feet," I shot back, rolling my eyes.

"Bella, any guy would be lucky to have you," Jasper said loyally.

"Says the guy who dumped me for my best friend," I said with a smile and a wink.

It was true. Jasper had attended Stanford with Alice and me. We had a couple of classes together freshman year and formed a friendship instantly. He had asked me to grab a cup of coffee with him one Saturday, which I had surprisingly agreed to. But the night before our scheduled date, he met Alice at a party. When we met for coffee the next day, he told me what happened, and that it was love at first sight, apologizing profusely as he went on and on about her. Alice wouldn't go out with him, afraid I would be upset with her if she did. I saw the same look in her eyes talking about Jasper that I had seen in his at the coffee shop, and told her that if she didn't go for it, I wouldn't speak to her again. Who was I to get in the way of love? And it would have never worked out anyway, Jasper is like a brother to me. He and Alice have been together ever since, and married last year.

Before we could say anymore, a nurse came through the door and called my name.

Alice went to get up with me, but I just pushed her back toward her seat. "It's okay, Alice. I've got this. I'll have someone get you if I need you."

Reluctantly, she sat back in her seat and nodded her head. At that moment, I walked back with the nurse and was let into the exam room that would change my life forever.

* * *

The nurse led me into Exam Room 4 and took my vitals, telling me the doctor would be in shortly. I nodded my head and began examining the room. It was the same as every other exam room I'd ever been in. I was sitting on a gurney, white walls surrounding me, with numerous medical instruments placed all around. Just looking at them made my stomach roll.

As I was looking at a poster hanging on the back wall, I heard a knock. As the door opened, I heard a deep, musical voice.

"Ms. Swan?" I was instantly covered from head to toe with goose bumps from that wonderful voice.

I turned to find the source of the voice and had to stifle a gasp. There, standing at the doorway, was the most incredibly handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. He was tall, almost a foot taller than my 5 4", rippled with lean muscle that could be seen even through his blue scrubs and had exquisitely beautiful, pale skin. His hair was tousled and was the strangest shade of red I'd ever seen, almost bronze.

_Oh, my God, his hair!_ I thought in shock.

In his chiseled face, was a pair of piercing emerald eyes, that mesmerized me. The moment my eyes met his, a flash of emotion went through his, too fast for me to recognize before he covered it up.

"Uh, Ms. Swan? Isabella?" he asked, smiling politely.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Bella, please." I said, struggling to regain my composure.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"My name," I clarified. "No one calls me Isabella."

"Oh. I'm Dr. Cullen and I'll be examining your hand," he said, studying my chart. "May I ask what exactly you did?"

"Uh, I cut it," I said as I held out my left hand, still wrapped in the dishtowel.

_Genius_, I thought to myself.

"I see. May I take a look at it, please?"

No doctor had ever asked my permission before. Usually I was expected to do whatever they told me, even if that meant jumping up and down like a monkey while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

I held out my hand to him, confusion clearly on my face. His cool, elegant hands gently unwrapped the towel and held my hand, moving it back and forth, while studying the gash in my palm. The heat his touch sent up my arm stopped any reaction I would have normally had by seeing the fresh wound on my hand. It was like an electric shock, shocking me to my core.

_How can a touch so clinical cause such a reaction?_

I looked over at his face to see the same shocked expression I knew was on my face as he worked.

_He felt it too_, I thought, the heat rising to my face as I looked away.

"Can you wiggle your fingers for me, Bella?" The sound of my name on his lips was breathtaking.

"Uh, sure." As I did, he merely nodded his approval.

"You need stitches, but you didn't damage the tendon, so we can get this taken care of quickly. I'll have one of the nurses bring in everything I need while I check on another patient . I'll be back in soon." He said as he began to walk out the door.

"Thanks, Dr. Cullen," I managed to squeak out.

He turned back to me, his eyes darkening with an emotion I couldn't place, grinning the most amazing crooked smile I'd ever seen. "Please, call me Edward, Bella."

It was all I could do to nod in acknowledgment as he walked out the door.

_Wow_. I released the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

It didn't take long for a nurse to bring in what I assumed was what Edward would need to stitch me up. Looking at the cart made me remember how I usually reacted to blood.

_Oh, no._

I squeezed my eyes shut and was practically panting, trying to get the roar in my head to subside. I could barely hear the nurse yelling at someone down the hall. I was going to pass out in a matter of seconds.

"Bella, breathe. Put your head between your legs." I recognized the musical voice immediately.

_Great. Embarrass yourself some more._

I did as I was instructed and the roaring in my head died down slowly. I looked up tentatively to see Edward smirking.

"You doing okay? You're still a little green." I nodded and slowly sat back up, my face flaming in mortification.

"I take it you're a little squeamish," he said, smiling broadly.

"Yeah. I'm surprised I didn't do this earlier," I said looking down.

_Wait, was he laughing at me?_ I looked up to see him chuckling lightly to himself. _Yep,_ t_his just keeps getting better and better._

"How about I distract you while I work on your hand?" he asked me, still smirking.

"Distract? Okay," I said slowly, "what do you have in mind?"

"Well, you can start out by telling me exactly how you got this gash in your hand" he said, putting gloves on.

"Well, I had a dream this morning that freaked me out and my best friend Alice and her husband Jasper came over to make dinner with me to calm me down and keep me company. I was slicing a cucumber for the salad when I saw a little girl learning to ride her bike outside with her father through my window. I guess I got caught up in what they were doing, and I sliced my hand open."

_Oh, my God. I hadn't meant for the part about the dream to come out._

"A dream, huh? What was it about?" he asked, grinning his crooked smile as he looked at me.

"Uh, nothing. It's nothing, never mind." I said, blushing again at the information I'd just shared with a stranger.

"Do you make it a habit to watch people from your window?"

"No," I said, my cheeks getting hotter by the second. "I guess I was just excited for her. Learning to ride your bike, it's a pretty big milestone for a kid." I shrugged. "So, are you new here? I've never seen you here before," I said, trying to change the subject.

_Oh, shit. I just realized how that sounds...like a pick up line._

He looked at me strangely. "Yeah, sort of. I just took a position in the Trauma Center here a few months ago." He paused before going on. " Why? Are you acquainted with all the doctors in the ER?" He was teasing me.

"Unfortunately, yes," I replied. "I'm really clumsy," I said, looking down at the floor again.

"Is that a fact?" he asked, smiling again. I could imagine how ridiculous I looked to him. "So, what do you do?"

"I work at the library. The west branch."

"Really? Any specific reason you chose to work there?" he asked. He seemed to be genuinely interested.

"Well, I love books. I've always wanted to work with books. I was an English major in college and I always thought that I'd eventually write, but I was offered the Branch Manager position a couple of years ago and have been there since."

"Where did you go to college?"

"Stanford." I was lucky to have gotten in.

"And do you still want to write?" I couldn't understand why he was so interested in my life.

"Maybe...eventually. I'm probably not any good at it, so I don't know." Of course, this was followed by a blush.

"I'm sure you're great, Bella." I looked at him, seeing nothing but honesty in his eyes. "Okay, you're all set."

I looked at my hand in amazement. I was all wrapped up and I hadn't gotten sick once. He must've been able to see the shock in my eyes.

"I told you I'd distract you," he said as he looked at me seriously.

I gazed into his eyes. Time seemed to stand still. I thought heard myself say thank you, but I couldn't be sure.

Suddenly, he stood up, clearing his throat. "Bella, you're going to need to have the stitches removed in 7-10 days. I usually would tell you that you can schedule an appointment with your regular physician to have that done, but I would rather do it myself." I looked up at him, surprised. "Could you come back next Wednesday?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure," I said. This was unexpected.

"Okay, my shift starts at six, could you be here around 5:30? You won't have to wait in the waiting room that way." I nodded. " Great," he said smiling, "I'll leave word with the front desk to page me when you arrive. The nurse will bring in your discharge papers with a list of cleaning and bandaging instructions for you to follow until I see you next. She'll go through it with you and you can ask her any questions before you leave. I'm also writing you a prescription for some mild pain killers. If you need to change the prescription for any reason, call the ER and they'll page me for you."

"Thank you." I was almost speechless at how nice he was being to me. I mean, why would you schedule to remove a stranger's stitches yourself when you could push them off on someone else?

"It was nice to meet you, Bella," he said, moving to the door, that unfamiliar emotion flashing through his eyes again as he looked at me.

"You, too, Edward," I said, still unable to get my bearings.

_Breathe, just breathe. He's only being nice to you because you're such a klutz._

I walked back into the waiting area in such a daze, I almost walked past Alice and Jasper.

"Bella! Are you okay?" Alice grabbed my arm as I started to walk past.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. All done. See?" I held up my hand for proof. "I need to get this prescription filled before I go home."

"Sure, no problem, Bella, " Jasper replied, wrapping his arm around my waist for comfort.

We started toward the door when I heard I heard the beautiful voice call my name. "Bella, you forgot your purse!" Edward was moving quickly toward me with my purse in his hand.

Startled, I just stood there watching him as he approached. "Th...Thank you, Edward," I stammered.

"No problem. I'll see you next Wednesday." And with that, he grinned his crooked grin and walked back through the door.

"Whoa, what was that about?" Alice asked, walking with me back to Jasper's truck.

"Nothing, he was just being polite, that's all," I said as nonchalantly as possible. I didn't want to let her know how he had affected me in the exam room.

"That was more than being polite, Bella. I think he liked you!" I could see she was going to try to fix me up with the beautiful Edward Cullen if I gave her any information to use.

"No, I don't think so. He's a nice guy, that's all. I think I'm going to sleep on the way to the pharmacy." I'd try anything to keep her from questioning me all night.

"Okay." I knew she was pouting but I didn't give in this time.

As I crawled in the bed that night, my mind was still on the beautiful doctor with the bronze hair.

_Was this the man from my dream?_

When I closed my eyes, all I could see was Edward's face, his piercing green eyes looking at me with the same scorching, unfamiliar emotion I saw flash in his eyes when he first walked into the room. I drifted into the most peaceful sleep I had ever known, dreaming of Edward Cullen the whole night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1, written from Edward's perspective. I'll be bouncing back and forth between Bella and Edward the whole story, but won't be repeating every event/discussion/etc, unless I feel it could be better from both pov.**

**Like I said before, the dreams are not my fave, but they're here. I seriously considered taking them out before publishing, but writer's block kept them in. They won't be playing a huge role in the rest of the story. I just used this to help my love at first sight theme going on with b&e.**

**I love writing EPOV. It's so much fun!**

Edward

_I found myself making my way through a heavy mist. I looked around, trying to get my bearings, but the mist was so thick-so dense-I could barely see my hand as I held it in front of me. I stumbled, tripping over roots as I walked forward, trying to find my way out. _

_Was I in the woods? _

_I seemed to walk for hours, my breathing heavy with exertion, my heart beating quickly._

_"Edward."_

_A voice so soft, so beautiful, called my name. It was like music to my ears._

_I stopped abruptly, turning circles trying to find the direction of the voice, seeing nothing but mist. I started to shiver uncontrollably, as the wind picked up, swirling the mist around me._

_"Edward," the angelic voice called again. _

_Suddenly, the wind blew so strongly, I was knocked off my feet. I struggled to keep hold of the ground below me as the wind pounded my back, threatening to blow me away._

_Almost as quickly as it began, the wind suddenly died down. I fought to catch my breath, staring at the ground below me. I slowly stood up, taking in my surroundings. The mist was gone, the air brisk, sending chills down my spine. As I looked around, I saw I was in a dense, dark forest. The moon cast rays through the trees, giving the forest an eerie feel. _

_Where am I?_

_"Edward," the voice called to me again, closer. _

_The wind picked up again as I spun around to the sound of the voice._

_As I took in the woman before me, I gasped. She was the most incredibly beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. Her mahogany hair was swirling around her angelic face, her long, white dress billowing out with the wind. Her skin was pale and smooth. Set in her heart-shaped face was a pair of chocolate brown eyes that seemed to reach to my soul. The love radiating for her was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. My heart swelled in my chest, pounding fiercely at my ribcage._

_"Edward, come to me, my love," she said softly as her pink, plump lips curved in a smile. _

_I took a step forward, only to find myself no closer to the angel before me. I tried again, only to find myself seemingly rooted to the same spot. _

_I looked at the angel in confusion. "I can't."_

_"Try, my love."_

_I hesitantly took another step toward her only to find myself behind an invisible barrier. _

_"I can't!" I howled in frustration._

_"Try harder."_

_I slammed my body into the invisible wall separating us. "What is this? Why can't I get through?" I asked, gritting my teeth as I pushed against it._

_She looked at me with such pain; such sadness. A tear fell down her cheek as she turned to walk away._

_"No, don't go!" I cried after her. _

_I pounded against the wall, trying to break free as darkness crept up and surrounded me. The angel paused and turned her head to look at me, her lips curving in a smile, her eyes filled with tears, before disappearing into the darkness. _

_As the darkness consumed her, I felt my heart shatter with unspeakable agony. I collapsed in pain as I felt my soul being ripped from my chest. _

***********************

I sat up, throwing the covers off me and ran to the bathroom. I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, trying to control the pain radiating in my chest. I looked at myself in the mirror, running my hands over my face.

"Jesus Christ," I said, breathless.

I walked back into the bedroom and glanced at the clock, groaning. _6 am_.

I sat on the edge of the bed trying to get a handle on the feelings that were battering my senses. The dream had left me feeling physical pain. I lifted my hand and rubbed my chest with the thought. What did it mean? I had never had a dream so _real_, leaving my heart feeling as though it was literally ripped into shreds.

I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water beat at my back. What was it about the woman that captivated me so? I closed my eyes and saw the woman again. Her beautiful, angelic face, her long, flowing hair, her chocolate eyes. My face broke out into an involuntary smile.

"God, help me," I muttered to myself sarcastically as I stepped out of the shower and began my day.

***********************

I pulled into the hospital parking lot and looked around. It was just an ordinary hospital, not unlike any of others I had been in before. But something about this place called to me.

I stepped out of the car and pulled up the hood on my sweatshirt. _Another rainy day in Seattle,_ I thought grimly. I didn't particularly mind the rain, but I'd never lived in a climate where it was so constant until now. Chicago gets its fair share of precipitation, but the sun always broke up the monotony of it. I was beginning to forget what sunshine looked like. And that was just sad.

I walked through the front doors of the Trauma Center, pulling my hood off and looking around. Yep, this felt good. _Like home._

As I walked past the reception desk, the pretty strawberry blond woman looked up. "Hi, Dr. Cullen," she said smiling.

"Hey, Tanya. How are you?" I asked politely. I wasn't really interested, but I was raised with manners.

"I'm fine. How are you?" She asked, giggling.

"Good. See you," I said, walking away before she could say any more.

I changed out of my street clothes and into my scrubs. I walked to the nurse's station and looked around.

_Not too busy today_, I mused.

I picked up a chart and examined it. _Isabella Swan, age 25. Height 5' 4". Weight 105. She must be tiny. Laceration on palm of left hand. Easy enough._

"I'll take this," I said to one of the nurses as I walked to exam room where she was waiting.

"Dr. Cullen!" _Shit. _I turned to see Jessica coming over, sending her brown ponytail bouncing.

"Hi, Jessica. How are you?" _I hate this girl_.

"Great," she giggled.

_What is it with these girls and giggling?_

"That's good." I put my hand on the doorknob. "I've got to get to this patient. I'll see you later," I called as I opened the door.

I looked back at the chart to make sure I had her name correct. "Ms. Swan?" I asked, opening the door.

I looked at the woman sitting on the gurney and my heart leaped into my throat. She was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants, yet I could still see that her petite body held beautiful curves. Her hair was dark-almost mahogany-and shimmered with red. It was pulled back away from her heart shaped face. Her skin was pale, smooth and creamy. Her full pouty lips were painted a pale pink. I had to stop myself from licking my own lips at the sight. One look into her wide, chocolate brown eyes made my heart stutter in recognition.

_Oh, my God, it's her._ I quickly quelled the feeling that came over me and took another step closer.

"Uh, Ms. Swan? Isabella?" I asked, trying to keep the tone of my voice from giving away my complete shock at seeing the woman from my dream, sitting casually in my ER.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Bella, please." _Did she just tell me to call her Bella?_

"Excuse me?" I asked, sure I didn't hear her correctly.

"My name. No one calls me Isabella." _Bella. Fitting._

"Oh. I'm Dr. Cullen and I'll be examining your hand," I said, looking at her chart. "May I ask what exactly you did?"

"Uh, I cut it," she said as she held out the hand wrapped in a dishtowel. She seemed nervous.

_Yeah, I got that already. _

"I see. May I take a look at it, please?" I was surprised to hear myself asking. Usually I just told the patient what to do, when they were conscious, that is.

She had a confused look on her face as she held out her hand. I gently unwrapped the towel, setting it aside before I began examining the laceration. As I gently grabbed her hand, I felt an electric jolt, shooting through my hands, up my arms, and straight to my heart.

_Holy shit, what was that? _I couldn't hide my surprise as I examined her hand.

"Can you wiggle your fingers for me, Bella?" My voice was tight. I was fighting the urge to see if her lips had the same effect on my body that her hand did.

"Uh, sure." _God, her voice is beautiful._

"You need stitches, but you didn't damage the tendon, so we can get this taken care of quickly. I'll have one of the nurses bring in everything I need while I check on another patient . I'll be back in soon." I needed to get out of here . Fast.

"Thanks, Dr. Cullen," she said quietly.

_No, no, no. That won't do._

I turned back to her, really looking at her for the first time since I'd walked into the room. I couldn't have her thinking of me as merely her doctor. I needed her to think of me as more.

I smiled crookedly before I spoke. "Please, call me Edward, Bella."

She merely nodded her approval. _Not good._

I turned and practically bolted out the door.

Jessica was the only nurse standing around so I had to reluctantly ask her to get everything I needed to stitch up Bella's hand.

"Jessica, I'm going to need to stitch up Ms. Swan's hand, so I'll need you to get everything ready for me and take it to Exam Room 4."

"Of course, Dr. Cullen." She was smiling at me strangely as she said this. _What the hell is wrong with this girl?_

"Thanks."

I took off for the nearest bathroom. I knew I needed to get my thoughts in order before I saw another patient. As it was, I thought I would barely be able to force myself to sew up the laceration on Bella's hand. And that was a walk in the park. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if an actual _trauma_ came in.

_Breathe, Edward. She's just a girl. _I closed my eyes._ Yeah, just the girl of your dreams, jackass._

I knew I couldn't hide in the bathroom much longer so I hurried and splashed some cold water on my face and went to get back to work.

As I stepped back into the hallway, I saw Jessica come out of the exam room Bella was in looking around frantically.

_Oh, shit! Bella!_ I practically ran over to Jessica, having an anxiety attack the whole way.

"Jessica? What's wrong?"

"Dr. Cullen! I don't know what happened. I brought the cart in the room and she just started freaking out!" She looked a bit freaked herself.

I pushed past her and looked at Bella. She was green. I exhaled loudly. She was only going to pass out. I had never been so relieved in all my life.

I went over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. "Bella, breathe. Put your head between your legs." I said as calmly as possible.

She did as I told her sending a whoosh of air my way. I inhaled her scent and my knees went weak. It was the light, sweet scent of strawberries with an undercurrent of something else I couldn't place.

_Oh, God, she smells so good._

I watched her closely as she sat like that for a few minutes. Slowly, her breathing grew more steady and the light sheen that had covered her body seemed to disappear.

_So she's squeamish,_ I smirked.

She started to rise, looking at me slowly.

"You doing okay? You're still a little green." she nodded, sitting the rest of the way up, her face red.

_Oh, that's nice._ I had to suppress a moan at the sight of her blush.

"I take it you're a little squeamish," I said, smiling broadly. I don't know why I thought it was funny.

"Yeah. I'm surprised I didn't do this earlier," she said as she looked down.

I was trying to control my laughter. It was just so cute. Unfortunately, she caught me, blushing even deeper. _God, would you stop doing that already?_ I had to do something to distract myself. I had a job to do.

"How about I distract you while I work on your hand?" I asked her, the smirk still on my face.

"Distract? Okay." She seemed confused. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, you can start out by telling me exactly how you got this gash in your hand" I said as I put on gloves.

"Well, I had a dream this morning and my best friend Alice and her husband Jasper came over to make dinner with me to calm me down, keep me company. I was slicing a cucumber for the salad when I saw a little girl learning to ride her bike outside with her father through my window. I guess I got caught up in what they were doing, and I sliced my hand open." The look on her face was priceless. I guess she'd told me a little more than she'd planned.

"A dream, huh? What was it about?" I asked grinning crookedly again.

_Quit doing that, moron!_

"Uh, nothing. It's nothing, never mind." she said, blushing again. It was all I could do not to take her right then and there.

"Do you make it a habit to watch people from your window?" I asked, teasingly.

"No," she seemed extremely embarrassed now. "I guess I was just excited for her. Learning to ride your bike, it's a pretty big milestone for a kid," she said shrugging. I had a feeling it wasn't something she normally did. "So, are you new here? I've never seen you here before," she asked quickly.

_What the hell?_

I couldn't help the look on my face. "Yeah, sort of. I just took a position in the Trauma Center here a few months ago." I stopped. " Why? Are you acquainted with all the doctors in the ER?" I asked lightly.

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm really clumsy," she said, looking down again.

I wanted to pull her face back up so I could see those beautiful eyes. The thought of them made me smile.

"Is that a fact?" I wonder where she works. "So, what do you do?"

"I work at the library, the west branch."

"Really? Any specific reason you chose to work there?" Sexy librarian fantasies starring Bella started scrolling through my head.

_Focus!_ I concentrated on her hand.

"Well, I love books. I've always wanted to work with books. I was an English major in college and I always thought that I'd eventually write, but I was offered the Branch Manager position a couple of years ago and have been there since."

"Where did you go to college?"

"Stanford." _Sexy and smart._

"And do you still want to write?" She wanted to write. How interesting.

"Maybe....eventually. I'm probably not any good at it, so I don't know." She blushed again.

"I'm sure you're great, Bella." I looked at my work. _Damn, that was fast._ "Okay, you're all set."

She looked down and examined her hand, blinking in shock. "I told you I'd distract you," I said seriously.

Her eyes met mine. "Thank you, " she murmured.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from hers. It was like I was being pulled in by some outside force. I realized I wanted to see her again. I didn't know if I'd had a choice since I took her chart. I had to be with her.

I reluctantly looked away and stood up, clearing my throat. I had to try something, anything, so I could see her again.

"Bella, you're going to need to have the stitches removed in 7-10 days. I usually would tell you that you can schedule an appointment with your regular physician to have that done, but I would rather do it myself." She looked genuinely surprised. "Could you come back next Wednesday?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," she said, her voice giving away her shock.

"Okay, my shift starts at six, could you be here around 5:30? You won't have to wait in the waiting room that way." She nodded " Great." I couldn't help the smile that was on my face. "I'll leave word with the front desk to page me when you arrive. The nurse will bring in your discharge papers with a list of cleaning and bandaging instructions for you to follow until I see you next. She'll go through it with you and you can ask her any questions before you leave. I'm also writing you a prescription for some mild pain killers. If you need to change the prescription for any reason, call the ER and they'll page me for you." I wanted to make sure she would come back next Wednesday.

"Thank you." She was so quiet I almost didn't catch it.

"It was nice to meet you, Bella," I said as I walked toward the door.

I turned to get one last look at her before I left. My pulse was racing; my palms sweaty.

_The angel's name is Bella._

"You, too, Edward."

My name on her lips sent chills down my spine. I turned to walk out of the room and went to the nurse's station. I took a deep breath as I grabbed another chart.

"Dr. Cullen?" _Damn, would you go away already? _

"Yes, Jessica?" I asked, pinching my nose with my fingers.

"The patient that just left Exam Room 4 left her purse behind. Do you want me to run it to Lost & Found?"

_Bella's purse!_

"No, that's okay," I said, taking Bella's purse from her. "I'll see if I can catch her before she leaves. If I miss her, I'll run it there myself." She looked at me quizzically. "We're pretty dead here tonight," I explained. No need in her realizing I have the hots for one of the patients.

I rushed out into the waiting room to see Bella walking over to a small, pixie-like woman with short, spiky black hair. Next to Bella was a tall, muscular man with honey blond hair and striking pale blue eyes. As he placed his arm around Bella's waist, I clenched my fists.

_Chill out, Edward. You don't own her._

They started to walk towards the door and I had to hurry to catch them.

"Bella, you forgot your purse!" I called after her, knowing I looked like an idiot.

She stood there, frozen, as I walked over to her. "Th...Thank you, Edward," she stammered.

"No problem. I'll see you next Wednesday." I grinned crookedly at her again and walked away.

As soon as I got through the door, I let out my breath in a whoosh and ran my fingers through my hair.

_Oh, boy. You're in trouble._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bella

I had managed to avoid Alice's inquiries for a week. She had been called out to LA to assist with styling a few celebrities for some major event I couldn't remember the name of. I had gotten lucky, but knew my luck was out, as Alice had come home late last night.

All that time, Edward's face never left my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, he was there. Every thought was wrapped around him. I had barely even spoken to him, yet I couldn't keep him out of my mind. I found myself doing something very strange--I was looking forward to going back to the hospital to get my stitches removed.

I walked into the library looking forward to my day. I saw one of the volunteers, pushing a cart full of books to the children's section.

"Hi, Bella! How's the hand?" She was always so sweet, unlike her son, Mike-I'm-never-going-to-stop-asking-you-out Newton.

I smiled at her and waved my hand up. "It's much better, Mrs. Newton, thanks. Only two more days until the stitches come out." If only she knew how ridiculously excited this made me, and why.

I reached my desk and logged in the computer. As I was getting situated, my cell phone buzzed. I looked at the caller ID and winced. I suppose I should just get it over with now.

"Hey, Alice! How was your trip?"

"Bella! It was great! I missed you, though! Could we get together tonight after you get off work?" Of course she would want to ask me about Edward face to face.

"Sure, Alice. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd come to the gym with me." What? Tiny Alice working out?

"You never work out! What's going on?"

"Nothing. Will you go?"

"Sure. I'll be over right after work." Something was up.

"Thanks, Bella. See you later."

I hate working out, but given my state of mind for the last week, I figured maybe I could use some time on the treadmill to clear my mind. I snapped my phone shut and started to get to work. But my mind wouldn't focus. I was too worried about what Alice was up to and preoccupied with my thoughts of Edward to get anything done.

* * *

I got to the gym at a little past six. Alice was already waiting for me at the entrance when I arrived. As I walked over to her, I noticed she was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. Again, I couldn't help but think something was up.

"Hey, Alice. Before we go in there, you have to tell me what this is about." I wasn't going to be able to take much of her bouncing around without knowing the reason why.

"It's not about anything specific. I just want to get in shape." She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. I knew that gesture too well.

"Alice, you're lying. What's going on?" I was beginning to get nervous.

"Nothing's going on!" I glared at her. "Oh, all right, I heard your cute doctor friend works out here.

"Edward works out here?" She nodded her head. "Alice! I can't believe you! I told you that nothing happened!" _Stupid matchmaking pixie._

"Oh, Bella, chill. He's probably not here anyways. Let's just go in." I didn't move. "Bella!" she said, laughing. "Come on!"

"No," I said, crossing my arms across my chest.

"If you don't come in, I'll play Bella Barbie everyday for the next month." _Shit._

"Fine," I grumbled, dragging my feet as we walked inside.

I found an empty treadmill and got my iPod ready and set up a program on the treadmill. I decided to put in only one of my ear buds in case Alice came over. I started the program and immediately zoned out, my thoughts swirling between Alice and her matchmaking and Edward.

Even after fifteen minutes of pushing myself, he was still in my mind. I couldn't understand it. Why do I keep replaying the same short conversation with him over and over again in my mind, obsessing on every detail; every word, every facial expression? I'll see him again on Wednesday, and then that's it. Probably never again. Unless of course I try to kill myself by falling.

I began trying to convince myself of that when I felt a tap on my arm, effectively breaking my thoughts. I looked over to see who it was and found myself eye to eye with those beautiful, piercing green eyes.

"Holy shit!" I yelled, tripping over myself and falling while the treadmill was still in motion.

I banged my head on the console on the way down, sending a searing pain starting from my forehead and vibrating its way throughout my entire head. When I landed, the belt threw me to the back of the treadmill, catching my shoelace in the process.

"Bella! Shit! Are you alright?" Edward was rushing to turn off the treadmill and help untangle me. "You weren't lying when you said you were clumsy, were you?"

My face was hot with embarrassment as I looked up at him. "No," I said meekly. "Why didn't you just call my name?"

His brows knit in confusion. "I did. I said your name three times but you must not have heard me. I'm sorry to have scared you," he said fumbling with my shoelace.

"Oh. I must've been lost in thought." _Lame. _ He chuckled softly.

He finally unraveled my shoelace and moved closer to me. "I'll help you up," he said, reaching out to me. He gently grabbed my arms and pulled me to my feet. I did not miss the heat his touch sent straight through my body as he helped me up. "Let me see you," he murmured as he began examining my head and my palm, leaving my body on fire from his touch. "Is your ankle alright?"

"Yes, it's fine. Thank you." His hands were still in mine as I said this. I breathed in his scent and my head spun and mouth watered. He smelled unlike anything I had ever smelled before. Sweet, light, yet still masculine. I had the sudden urge to find out if his mouth tasted as good as he smelled.

He looked down at our interlaced fingers and immediately stepped back, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I just wanted to see how your hand was healing up."

I cleared my head and took a deep breath so that I didn't stumble over my words. "It's okay. The hand's healing up well, thank you." _Oh, that's even better._

"Good. Well...um...Bella, I was wondering..."

"Bella!" Alice was making her way over to me from where her yoga class was held. "Are you all right? I saw you fall..." Her sentence trailed off when she spotted Edward next to me. "Dr. Cullen, right?" She smirked. _Make that stupid, psychic, matchmaking pixie._

Edward's eyes flashed to my face and he turned with an amused expression on his face. "Yeah, Edward, please."

"Hi, Edward. I'm Alice, Bella's friend. It's nice to meet you." She said eyeing the two of us. "Bella, I'm going to take a shower and go. I'll talk to you later." She gave me a suggestive look as she walked away.

I laughed once nervously and blew out a breath before turning back to Edward. "So, come here often?"

He laughed at my terrible joke and nodded. "But I've never seen you here before," he said eyeing me curiously.

"No, I don't work out much. Too dangerous. Obviously," I said, motioning to the treadmill. "Alice wanted to get in shape and asked me to help keep her motivated. But I think I'll stick with something safer from now on."

"And what will you do instead?"

"Oh, I don't know. Yoga maybe. I mean, yes, I can still fall, but at least it will be on a mat. I've always liked yoga." I shrugged. I couldn't understand the sudden interest in my life he seemed to have again.

He smiled at my response. "Well, you could have done yoga with your friend, but instead chose the treadmill. Is there a particular reason?" I couldn't help but notice he was so proper and polite when he spoke, unlike most of the kids I grew up with. _He must not be from around here_.

"I had some things to work out in my head. I thought maybe running until my lungs burned would clear them out." I was treading on thin ice, on the verge of telling him that he was the reason I needed to clear my head. I looked down, blushing. "I don't know, it was probably stupid."

His long fingers gently grabbed my chin and pulled my face up towards his. "No, not stupid. I know exactly what you mean." Our eyes held for a moment, causing my heart to skip a beat

Abruptly, he dropped his hand and looked away. "Well, I guess I'll see you Wednesday."

"Yeah, okay, Wednesday." I knew the disappointment was clear in my voice.

"Bye, Bella," he said smiling his crooked smile before he turned to walk away.

* * *

**Edward**

It had been seven days since I'd met Bella at the hospital. I thought about her endlessly. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face. Every night, I dreamed of her. I was almost at my wits end. I needed to see her. I'd even pulled her chart from last week and got her address and phone number. Well, phone _numbers_, plural. I couldn't resist. I was seriously considering looking up how to get to her apartment on Mapquest. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold off. It was getting into creepy stalker territory. _Two more days_,_ two more days,_ I chanted to myself.

Thankfully, it was Monday, one of my usual work out days of the week. I pulled my silver Volvo into a parking space and got out, thankful to be here. I would use my time on the treadmill to work out my frustration with myself over Bella.

I walked into the gym and went straight to the men's locker room. I changed out of my scrubs and into a pair of mesh shorts and one of my Harvard t-shirts. I pulled out my iPod, slipping it into my pocket, before I locked my duffel bag up in the locker. I went out to the floor and looked around for a free treadmill. I immediately found one and began walking over toward it.

As I got closer, a figure with long mahogany hair pulled back into a ponytail caught my eye. I froze, turning to my right to see Bella running on one of the treadmills. My heart jumped in my chest. She was running at a decent pace, a fierce expression on her face. _God, she's pretty._ I sighed. _Get a grip, idiot!_

I stood there for a moment, debating on whether or not to interrupt her. I knew I should just leave her alone but I couldn't. I couldn't understand why this girl was so hard to stay away from. She wasn't anything unusual, just another patient that came in the ER I worked in. But I knew I was just lying to myself. There was a reason I'd dreamed about her. A reason I couldn't seem to stay away from her. A reason why her touch sent sparks flying through my body and why I couldn't stop thinking about her.

After standing there for God knows how long, looking like a total idiot, I finally decided to walk over to her and talk to her.

_I can just ask her how her hand is,_ I reasoned.

"Bella?" I asked. No response. She must not have heard me.

"Bella?" I called again a little louder. _Okay..._

"Bella?" I said even more loudly. _Maybe her iPod is turned all the way up._ There were a couple of people eying me now.

I decided to try tapping her lightly on the arm. She turned her head to me and I found myself face to face with her. Her chocolate eyes bore into mine for a split second before recognizing me.

"Holy shit!" she yelled, tripping over her shoe and falling while the treadmill was still in motion.

She banged her head on the console on the way down, collapsing onto the belt. The treadmill shot her backwards, catching her shoelace as she landed on the floor with a thud. I could do nothing but stare.

"Bella! Shit! Are you all right?" I said without thinking, as I reached over to turn off the treadmill. I bent down to help untangle her shoelace. "You weren't lying when you said you were clumsy, were you?"

Her face, already flushed with exertion, turned beet red. "No. Why didn't you just call my name?"

_Are you kidding me? _ "I did. I said your name three times but you must not have heard me. I'm sorry to have scared you," I said feeling like a total moron, unable to get the shoelace untangled.

"Oh. I must've been lost in thought," she said in wonder. _Uh, you think?_ I laughed.

I finally unraveled the shoelace and decided to help her up. "I'll help you up," I said, holding my hands out toward her.

I gently grabbed her arms, feeling the heat surge through them again. _Fuck, what is that?_ I was close enough to her I could smell her. It was intoxicating.

"Let me see you," I murmured as I began meticulously examining her head and injured hand, my fingers tingling from the contact with her skin. "Is your ankle alright?"

"Yes, it's fine. Thank you." My gaze swept over her face.

I seemed to be frozen, watching her eyes darken with emotion, sending a flash of heat through my body. I realized I was holding her hands, our fingers intertwined. My hands were hot, sparks flying up my arms from touching her.

_She's still a patient, Edward,_ I thought ruefully and abruptly dropped her hands. They felt cold and dead without hers.

"I'm sorry," I said again. "I just wanted to see how your hand was healing up."

"It's okay. The hand's healing up well, thank you." _I wonder if she'd go out with me this weekend._

"Good. Well...um...Bella, I was wondering..."

"Bella!" The little pixie from the hospital was making her way over to us, a yoga mat under her arm. "Are you all right? I saw you fall..." She trailed off as she recognized me. "Dr. Cullen, right?" She was looking pleased with herself for some reason.

_Has she been talking about me? _I snuck a glance at Bella before answering. She seemed extremely uncomfortable. "Yeah, Edward, please."

"Hi, Edward. I'm Alice, Bella's friend. It's nice to meet you." She said eyeing the two of us. "Bella, I'm going to take a shower and go. I'll talk to you later." She looked at Bella pointedly before walking away.

Bella watched Alice leave and laughed once before turning back to me. "So, come here often?"

I laughed. _Who says that?_ I decided to play along. "But I've never seen you here before."

"No, I don't work out much. Too dangerous. Obviously," she said, motioning to the treadmill. "Alice wanted to get in shape and asked me to help keep her motivated. But I think I'll stick with something safer from now on."

"And what will you do instead?" _What could possibly be a safe option for someone like you?_

"Oh, I don't know. Yoga maybe." My eyebrows shot up.

I could imagine Bella's beautiful body twisting around itself. My stomach trembled with the thought and I smiled. It could be something we could try some day. _You're getting ahead of yourself, Edward._ She was still speaking.

"I mean, yes, I can still fall, but at least it will be on a mat. I've always liked yoga." she shrugged, seemingly confused again.

"Well, you could have done yoga with your friend, but instead chose the treadmill. Is there a particular reason?" _I mean, I know why I was going to run myself ragged._

"I had some things to work out in my head. I thought maybe running until my lungs burned would clear them out." _God, I hope the reason is me_. "I don't know, it was probably stupid." She looked down again.

I didn't resist the urge this time to pull her face back up so I could see her clearly. "No, not stupid. I know exactly what you mean." Our eyes held for a moment, passing something between us.

_Damn it, Edward. Still a patient. _I dropped my hand and looked at an empty treadmill. I was going to have to run like hell tonight. "Well, I guess I'll see you Wednesday."

"Yeah, okay. Wednesday." She seemed as disappointed as I was.

"Bye, Bella," I said smiling crookedly again before I walked to the treadmill.

* * *

I left the gym still just as confused as before_._ I was going to have to get a grip on my feelings for Bella soon before they consumed me. _But would that be such a bad thing?_

"Damn," I sighed. I raced down my street and pulled into the driveway. I sat for a moment and stared at the house I had found a few months ago. The moment I saw it, I felt that same feeling I had felt when I arrived in Seattle the first time. I was _home._

I took a quick shower and decided I needed to talk to someone about Bella. I started to dial Carlisle, then changed my mind. I didn't want Esme to know of anything yet. If she knew I had feelings for someone she'd be planning my wedding before I even got a chance to ask Bella out. I decided to call Emmett instead. He and Rosalie had been together since they were sixteen. They had an extremely passionate relationship. If anyone could help me sort out my feelings for Bella, it was him.

I pushed the button for their house on my speed dial and listened to the phone ring.

"Hello?" a cool voice answered the phone.

"Hey, Rose! How's my favorite sister-in-law?" Okay, she's my only sister-in-law.

"Edward! How's Seattle? We miss you!" Rose had the reputation of being a bitch until you got to know her.

"Good. Great actually. I miss you guys, too. How are things?" I couldn't wait to see my family again. Hopefully, they would be here for Thanksgiving.

"Good. Busy. You want to talk to Emmett?" She knew I didn't call unless I needed Emmett for something specific.

"Yeah. Thanks." I waited as the phone was shuffled between the two of them.

"Hey, big bro! How's it going on the west coast?" he boomed over the phone. Emmett could never be quiet.

"It's good. Listen, I need to talk to you about something." No use wasting time.

"Sure, man. What's up?"

I drew in a deep breath. _Here goes._ "Okay. Em, I had this dream last week."

"Ooh, what kind of dream? Sex dream?"

I laughed. "No." I told him about the dream, leaving nothing out.

"Okay, so you had a weird dream. I don't get the problem, man."

"Well, that night I was at work and ." I said it so fast, my words ran together.

Emmett was laughing on the other end. "I'm sorry, it sounded like you said the girl from your dream came in the hospital and you stitched her up."

I was silent.

"Oh, shit! You're not kidding!" His voice was full of surprise.

"Nope."

"So, let me get this straight. You dream up this gorgeous girl only to wake up feeling like your heart's been ripped out of your chest. You freak out, decide to go on with life, only to find her sitting in your ER fourteen hours later?"

"Pretty much, yeah." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Dude, that is some seriously freaky shit," he said laughing loudly.

"Tell me about it," I muttered. "Here's the thing, Em. I saw her again tonight at the gym and I think I screwed up any chance I have with her."

"What do you mean?" he asked seriously.

"I kind of...well, I knocked her off the treadmill." I cringed, waiting for his response.

"Are you fucking kidding me, dude?" He burst out laughing. I was left on the line for a full five minutes before he recovered. "Damn, you're slick."

I ignored this. "She's coming back to the hospital on Wednesday so I can remove her stitches."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." I exhaled. "See, here's the thing, Em. I think I really, really like this girl. I can't get her off my mind. And when I touch her, it's like this electric shock shoots through me and makes a beeline for my heart."

"You think she feels that, too?"

"Yeah." At least I was pretty sure she did.

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask her out, you idiot!"

"I really want to, but she's still technically a patient." I could get in _big _trouble with that one.

He seemed to be thinking about this. "It's just some stitches, right? So when they come out, she'll no longer be needing your services, right?"

_Damn, he's right._ I was putting way more thought in this than necessary. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Emmett. I owe you."

"No, prob. Hey, while I've got you on the phone there's something I want to tell you."

"Oh, yeah? What is it?"

"Rose and I are trying to have a baby," he said seriously.

_Holy shit! Uncle Edward._ I grinned widely. "That's awesome, Emmett!" It really was.

"Thanks, bro. You'll be the first to know when it happens."

"Okay. Well, I'll talk to you soon. Tell Rose 'Good luck' for me and that I love her." I couldn't believe it. My wild and crazy little brother wanted to be someone's dad.

"Will do. Love you, man"

"Love you, Em." I snapped the phone shut and grinned. Now, if I could just get Bella to go out with me life would be damn near perfect.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bella

I knew Alice wouldn't give me long before she bombarded me with questions about Edward. So it was no surprise to see her pixie-like figure standing beside my Civic waiting for me at my lunch break the following day.

"Hey, Bella, wanna go to lunch together?" she asked me pleasantly.

"Sure, what did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking about that Mexican place down the street." She was eyeing my clothes now, no doubt styling me from head to toe in her head.

"Sounds good, hop in."

She left me to my thoughts until we sat down with our food. "So, Bella, what's going on with you and the doctor?" She was dipping a chip into her salsa as she asked.

I hesitated, thinking I didn't want her hounding me over something that would probably never happen. But as I started to tell her it was nothing, I realized telling someone was exactly what I needed. It had been eight days since I'd first seen him in the ER and hadn't stopped thinking of him since.

"I can't get him out of my head, Alice," I looked down as I said this, knowing the blush would be spreading over my cheeks.

"Really? That's great, Bella! I bet he asks you out tomorrow," she said nonchalantly. My head snapped up and I looked at her in confusion. "I didn't forget the way he looked at you that night when he said he'd see you next Wednesday. Plus, I have a feeling about him."

Alice was sometimes almost psychic. She would get these strange feelings about something or someone that were never wrong.

"I don't know. I don't see why someone that gorgeous would want to have anything to do with someone like me." I was looking at my plate, hiding my face. I knew she didn't like it when I talked about myself that way.

"Bella, you've got to take some self-confidence classes or something. You have no idea how insanely gorgeous you are, much less how much of a wonderful person you are. " She waved her hand in front of me like she was gesturing to a prize.

I looked at my best friend hesitantly. We had known each other since high school, when I moved to my dad's in Forks. We told each other everything and were always honest with one another. She was like the sister I never had. No, she _was_ my sister; going to the same college as me, moving with me to Seattle after we graduated, forcing Jasper to come along with her.

A smile spread on my face. "Thanks, Alice."

"You're welcome," she said, answering with her own smile. "Now, as soon as you get those stitches out, I want to go shopping. You're going to need something for your date with the doctor." She winked knowingly at me.

I let out a breath. "I'll call you tomorrow night and we can plan it then. I've got to get back to work now. Not all of us get to make our own hours," I said smiling.

* * *

I got home from work that night surprisingly exhausted. I hit the message button on my answering machine on my way to the kitchen for a bottle of water, hearing my father along the way.

"Hey, Bells. I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to get together for dinner sometime this weekend. Give me a call later."

The next message was from Alice, reminding me of the Halloween party she and Jasper were throwing in three weeks. Ugh. Don't remind me. I was under no circumstances dressing up like a five-year-old.

I made dinner and decided I'd call Charlie back and make dinner plans with him. I always enjoyed being with my father. The phone rang three times and I wondered if maybe he was called in to work. Being Chief of Police, even in the tiny town of Forks, sometimes had its drawbacks.

"Hello?" My father's gruff voice interrupted my speculation.

"Hey, Dad. What are you doing?"

"Hey, Bells. Nothing much. Just sitting here watching the game." That could be anything. There wasn't a sport he didn't follow.

"Oh, well, I'll make it quick then. I was just wondering when you wanted to have dinner."

"Well, could you drive down maybe on Sunday? Harry and I are going fishing Saturday and Sunday morning and if I catch enough we can fry up some in his famous fish fry mix. You can invite Alice and Jasper along if you'd like. I haven't seen Alice in a while."

That meant he missed her. He loved Alice like she was his own daughter. Alice has the ability to wrap you around her finger without even trying.

"Well, she and Jasper have something going on this weekend but we can all make it next weekend, if that's all right."

"Sounds great. Well, I guess I'll see you then. Bye, Bells"

"Bye, Dad." I snapped my phone shut and decided to go to bed early. I was beginning to get jittery with nerves thinking about tomorrow.

I climbed in my bed and relaxed as soon as my head hit the pillow. I was still a little nervous, but I reasoned that it was only because Edward would be taking stitches out of my hand tomorrow. Just thinking about it made me a little nauseated.

_I opened my eyes and saw that I was in a tiny living room, spread out on the couch. I looked around and froze. I was in Jacob's living room. How did I get here?_

_I sat up and walked over to the front door. I saw my old, beat up Chevy truck, parked outside. Must've driven over here. I turned back around and noticed it was quiet. Where is everyone?_

_As I started to walk back to the couch, I heard a noise coming from the back of the house. I followed it down the hall and opened the door to Jacob's bedroom._

_"Hey, Bells! You're awake!" he called. He was sprawled out on his bed, his feet dangling off the edge. I chuckled to myself at the sight._

_"Yeah, I guess I fell asleep on the couch." I was feeling a strange sense of déjà vu._

_"Yeah, you were out, snoring and everything." _

_"Shut up! I do not snore!" At least I didn't think I did._

_"Come lay with me for a while," he said, patting the bed beside him._

_I did as he said and we laid there motionless for a while. Listening to his breathing, I felt a sense of peace I hadn't felt in a long time. I sighed._

_"You okay over there, Bells?"_

_"Yeah. I'm fine." As I said this, I realized something in me started to shift. It no longer felt peaceful. It felt...strange, awkward._

_"Hey, Bella, I wanted to talk to you for a sec." He sat up as he said this. I looked at him, questions racing through my mind, and sat up to join him._

_"Okay. What's up?" The sense of déjà vu was getting stronger._

_"Well..." he blew out a breath. "We've been friends all our lives. Best friends since you moved in with Charlie. But.." _

_He couldn't seem to find the words to say. He looked down at his hands, his brows knit in frustration. It suddenly dawned on me why this was so familiar. My chest grew tight at the thought. Don't. Don't do this._

_"Jake, do..." He put his hand over my mouth, cutting me off._

_"Just let me say this, Bella." He paused. "We've been best friends for a while now, and I know I've told you that I love you. But Bella." His eyes locked on mine. Oh, shit. "I don't mean that I just love you. I'm _in_ love with you. I want to be with you, take you out, share our lives together. I know you might not feel the same way. But, would you give me a chance and let me take you on a date this weekend?"_

_The words that were once music to my ears suddenly didn't have the same effect on me. "Jake, I can't. I still love you. But..it's different now"_

_"You met him, didn't you?" He looked so sad, pained._

_"Who, Jake?" What was he talking about?_

_"You know who, Bella." His lips curved slightly. Oh...Edward._

_"Yeah. I think maybe I did." I looked down, too ashamed to look at Jake's face, my heart breaking for him._

_He reached out and grabbed my face, lifting it up so he could see it. "Bella, do _not_ be sad for me." His eyes were fierce as he said this._

_I could only nod, tears streaming down my face as I looked into his eyes, knowing that by meeting Edward I was breaking his heart._

_"I'll always love you. Now go, be happy." And just like that, he was gone._

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Jake!" I cried as I bolted up. As I was looking around my dark bedroom, I realized I was shaking uncontrollably with the sobs that ripped from my chest.

_Just a dream. Just a dream,_ I chanted to myself. I managed to calm down enough to stop the shaking. I buried my head in my hands and continued to sob. _What is wrong with me?_

I looked over at the clock on my nightstand. 4:45am. _Great_. Resigned, I got out of bed and took a hot shower, hoping to calm the heart-shattering feelings coursing through my veins. Feeling the hot water pounding my body helped clear my mind, but my heart was still heavy in my chest.

The water began to cool and I unwillingly got out and wrapped myself in a towel. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I saw the bags forming under my bloodshot eyes. _Perfect._ I would go see Edward later looking like this. I finished getting dressed and made myself a bowl of cereal, grabbing my copy of _Wuthering Heights_ as I sat at the table. Maybe the problems of Heathcliff and Cathy would take my mind off the dream.

I glanced at the clock on the stove and realized I had been engrossed in the book for over an hour. I jumped up to wash the bowl and ran my fingers through my now dry hair as I slipped on my shoes and bolted out the door. It was just past eight, leaving me only a few minutes to get to work in time to set up before we opened the doors at nine.

I pulled in the parking lot and saw Alice waiting for me at the doors.

"You look like hell," she commented holding out a bag of cosmetics. "I had a feeling you might need this."

I nodded my head and burst into sobs. "Oh, Alice, I feel so stupid," I cried into her shoulder.

"Another dream?"

"Yeah." I told her every last detail. "Alice, it was basically a memory. It was the day Jake asked me out on our first date. Only, instead of crying and saying yes, I was crying and saying no. Why would I have said no if it was a memory? I distinctly remember going on that date with him." It was on that date I knew I didn't want to be with anyone else...ever. I pushed the thought out of my head.

She seemed to think seriously about this. "Bella, have you noticed that you didn't start dreaming about Jacob until the day you met Edward?"

"Huh. No, I never thought of that." What did that mean exactly?

"Bella, I think...No, I know, Edward's the one for you." I sucked in a breath of surprise at the thought. "I think this is your heart's way of telling you not to second guess yourself and lose it all before it begins." I looked at her as she said this. It almost felt as if she was hiding something. I brushed off the feeling.

"Alice, I don't even know him!" I was arguing with my psychic best friend who never gets these things wrong. Not good.

"So? Look at me. The moment I saw Jasper Whitlock, I was toast, " she giggled. "I know you. You don't ever have feelings for anyone. Well, not since..." she trailed off. "The way your face softens and the look in your eyes when you talk about him tells me I'm right. Don't push him away." Again, I felt like she was hiding something, but I had no clue what it could be. I exhaled loudly and nodded my head. "C'mon. Let's get you fixed up."

* * *

I checked my reflection in the mirror before getting out of the car. Alice certainly was a miracle worker. I no longer looked sleep-deprived and sick. I looked like I usually did. Now if only she could have given me something to fix the massive panic attack I was about to have. A Valium, perhaps?

I breathed in slowly, deeply, trying to get my thoughts in order. _You're getting stitches removed. That's all._ Of course, for once it wasn't the thought of a medical procedure being done that made me nauseated with nerves. It was the doctor who would be performing it.

I calmed myself as much as I could and slowly walked to the ER entrance. The same small, strawberry blond woman was working the reception desk again.

Looking up at me, she smiled. "Can I help you?

"Uh, yes..." The nerves fluttering around in my chest were making it almost impossible for me to speak. "Dr. Cullen asked me to come in today to have the stitches removed from my hand?" I made it sound like a question.

"Oh, yeah. I'll page him. Have a seat." The smile was completely gone from the woman's face. _Okay..._

I sat down and picked up a magazine expecting to wait for a while. I had just started on the first article when Edward walked through the door.

"Hey, Bella. How are you?" he asked, smiling at me.

"Good. I'm good. How are you?" My nerves were suddenly gone.

"Better, now. C'mon, let's get you to the back and I'll get started." He motioned me forward, putting his hand on the small of my back to lead me through the halls. "In here's fine," he said, pointing to an empty exam room. "Have a seat."

I sat, watching him closely as he prepped. He was even more beautiful to me than before, if that was humanly possible.

He sat next to me, taking my hand and unwrapping the gauze from it. The shock from his touch again shot straight through me.

He looked up slowly at me and smiled crookedly. "Bella, I wanted to apologize again for scaring you the other night. I never took into consideration that I probably shouldn't sneak up on a self-professed klutz."

"It's okay, really. No one takes me seriously until they've witnessed it first hand," I said with a laugh.

He smiled and started to clip the first stitch, causing a wave of nausea to roll through me. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut, willing the feeling to disappear. _Waves. White sand. Warm, light breeze, _I began thinking to myself as I tried to imagine sitting on some exotic beach. But I couldn't get the relaxing picture to come up. My mind automatically shifted to Edward every time I tried. His face, his hands, his body, his eyes, his mouth, crushing against mine...

"Bella? Bella, it's okay, I'm done." I looked down to see nothing but a pink, puckered line across my palm. "It's going to be a little sore for a while still, so you need to still be aware of it for a couple of weeks and not do anything stressful, such as heavy-lifting, things like that." He held my eyes as he said this, his mouth set in a smirk.

_Like I'm going to do any heavy lifting._ I laughed at the thought and he raised his eyebrows. "Okay, I think I can manage that."

"Good. So Bella, I was thinking..." He paused as he looked at my palm and slowly traced along my scar with his index finger, causing me to shiver at his touch. "Since you're no longer technically a patient, maybe I could take you out this weekend."

I stared at him, blinking in shock. At date? _With me?_

"Or maybe not....It was stupid, forget it." He said, dropping his hand.

I realized it had been long enough since he had asked me out he must've assumed I didn't want to go.

"No! No, I'd love to!" I was practically shouting at the thought of him changing his mind.

"Really?" He grinned his crooked smile at me. "How's Saturday night? I get off my shift at six, I could be at your apartment by 7:30" _Wait, how does he know where I live?_ He must have sensed my question. "I looked up your address on your chart. I hope you don't mind"

"No, I don't mind." I was practically grinning from ear to ear. "Saturday's fine. I take it since you have my address, you also have both my home and cell phone numbers."

He looked thoroughly abashed at my statement. "Yeah. I do." He paused. "Where's your cell?"

I looked at him questioningly and pulled my cell phone from my pocket. He took it and punched in something before giving it back to me. I glanced down to see his number programmed into my phone.

"There. Now you have my number, too. Can you text me directions to your apartment Saturday afternoon? I still don't know Seattle all that well." So he wasn't from here.

"Yeah, I can do that." I was still staring into his eyes, afraid that if I looked away I would wake up.

"Great. Bella," he paused, running his hand softly across my jaw line. I instinctively leaned into his touch, my jaw tingling pleasantly. "I hate to go, but my shift starts in ten minutes." He looked genuinely disappointed. "But if I have time I'll try to call you tomorrow and Friday. And I will definitely be at your door promptly at 7:30 Saturday night."

I was beaming at the thought of Edward calling me. "Okay. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

Before he turned to leave he slowly leaned his head down toward mine. My thoughts scattered and my breath caught. He lightly kissed my cheek and began to turn away. Our eyes locked for a moment and I let out the breath I'd been holding loudly. He smiled crookedly at me and walked out of the room. As I sat there, trying to get my brain to function again, it finally dawned on me what the unknown feeling that kept passing between us was, causing my heart to skip a beat at the thought.

For the first time in my life, I lusted for someone.

* * *

**Edward**

I was practically skipping through the halls while I worked, I was so pleased with myself. _Bella said yes!_ The all-consuming feelings I had felt over the last week were suddenly gone, leaving me feeling light, with the knowledge that she felt enough for me to want to go out with me.

"You look awfully happy," I heard a soft voice say behind me.

I couldn't help the smile that seemed to be permanently plastered to my face. "Yep. Extremely."

Tanya looked at me for a moment before opening her mouth. "Hmm. And why's that?" She seemed to be flirting with me, maybe?

"I met someone."

Her eyes widened in surprise. She looked completely taken aback. _Oh, shit. Maybe she was flirting with me._ "Really? And who would that be?"

"Her name's Bella Swan. She came in here not too long ago. I had you page me when she got here?" She nodded. "Anyways, I'd been thinking a lot about her the last few days and I asked her to go out with me this weekend."

"I take it the smile on your face means she said yes." She was being cautious now.

"Yes, she did." My grin was even wider. I felt bad about Tanya, but I couldn't help my feelings. There was no way I could ever feel for her the way I'd been feeling about Bella.

She watched me again, eyeing me closely, before responding. "Well, I hope it goes well for you, Edward. Have a nice time." She smiled politely and walked away.

"Thanks!" I called after her.

I examined three patients, so dazed, I couldn't remember what I'd treated them for when I left the room. My thoughts were swirling around Bella. I wasn't sure when I'd have time to call her between now and Saturday but I was going to have to find it. I wasn't going to be able to wait to hear that beautiful voice until then.

I walked back to the nurse's station and picked up another chart. I stood there for a moment getting into doctor mode. I had to focus. I had six more hours of my shift left. I was studying the chart I'd grabbed when I saw someone walk up out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh, hey, Jessica. How's it going?"

"Fine. So listen, I've been watching you all night and I couldn't help but notice something was going on with you. You seem...different." I looked at her strangely. "But different in a good way," she said quickly, smiling tentatively at me.

"I do?" I thought about it for a minute. Was my infatuation with Bella Swan so obvious? I shrugged my shoulders, smiling. "I guess I am."

Her smile widened. "So, I've been trying to get the courage to ask you for a while now, but I didn't know how to say it or what you'd say..."She trailed off nervously. _Oh, shit._ "I looked at the schedule and noticed you work a double Friday night and are off Saturday night and all day Sunday so I was wondering..." _Please don't say it. Please don't say it._ "Would you want to go out with me this weekend?" _She did._

I had no idea how I'd missed this. "Listen, Jessica. You're really nice. But..." _I honestly can't stand you._ "I met someone." I took a deep breath.

"Oh." Her face fell. "Do I know her?"

_Should I tell her?_ If I got my way she'd know soon enough anyway. I nodded my head. "She's been in here before. Bella Swan?"

She nodded. "Well, have a good time." She turned and walked away quickly before I could say anything more.

_Fuck._

I looked back down at the chart I'd been holding, running my fingers through my hair. I exhaled deeply. I saw someone watching me from the corner of my eye. _What now?_

I looked over to see Keisha watching me closely. She was big and proud, with smooth, coffee colored skin. Today her hair was fire red, braided back into an intricate design on her head. I smiled in relief.

"What's up?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing. Just watching you is all." And she really was. Almost staring. I was getting a little uncomfortable.

"How come?" I cleared my throat nervously.

"Boy, you got no idea how much trouble you're gonna be in around here, do ya?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"What do you mean?"

"You come in here with your beautiful body and your beautiful face and your beautiful sex hair, drivin' all the girls wild. And then you go out with some girl that just came walkin' in here last week, while all the girls here have been tryin' to get your attention for months. Now you're breakin' all the girls' hearts, while I gotta pick up the pieces." She shook her head grimly.

"What?" I asked incredulously. "I don't drive the girls wild." _Wait, sex hair?_

"Um-hm. That's why every girl that works in this damn hospital comes down to my ER to check out the gorgeous Dr. Cullen. You nothin' but a traffic jam."

I couldn't help but laugh. "If that's true, how come I've never noticed it?"

"You mean to tell me you don't see the girls droolin' and followin' you around like a bunch of lost puppy dogs?"

"No." Now I was getting very uncomfortable. How could I have missed this?

"Mmm-um-um." She shook her head. "Boy, that is just sad."

I laughed nervously. I needed to lighten this conversation up a little. "Have you been following me around like a lost puppy, Keisha?" I leaned in and stared into her big brown eyes.

She laughed. "You goin' out with your girl this weekend, Dr. Cullen?"

I was beaming again. "Yeah. Saturday."

She smiled at me as she looked me over. "You use some of that charm on your girl and you'll be just fine," she said winking. "I'll spread the word around here that the girls had better find someone else to ogle. The gorgeous Dr. Cullen is head-over-heels in love."

That wiped the smile off my face. "Wait. I'm not in love with her. I just met her."

"Boy, I been married twenty years and I ain't never seen my husband look like that when he talks about me. You in love, whether you mean to be or not." She walked away and went into the supplies room before I could argue any further.

_Shit._ _I'm not in love with Bella. I couldn't be. I just met her. Oh, God._ My heart was jumping in my chest just thinking about it. _What am I going to do?_ I wasn't entirely sure what it was I was feeling for Bella, but I was sure about one thing. I was absolutely terrified. I was going to have to talk to Carlisle.

* * *

**Bella**

By the time I got home, I was prancing like some idiot on TV. I set everything down and picked up the phone to call Alice

"Hello?"

"Alice! You were right, he asked me out!" I couldn't contain my excitement.

"Aw, Bella, that's great! So when does this date take place?" I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Saturday night. Oh, my God. What if I fall and make a total ass out of myself?" I cringed at the thought.

"Calm down. You'll be fine. He's already seen you fall off a treadmill and flat on your face. And that didn't scare him away." I laughed. "So when do you want to go shopping?"

"Um, how's Friday after work sound?" I was going to need a couple of days to work myself up to shopping with Alice.

"Sure, that's fine. I'll see you then."

"Oh, wait! I almost forgot! Charlie wants to get together for dinner next Sunday and asked me to invite you and Jasper along." I'd have never heard the end of it if I'd let my thoughts of Edward distract me enough to forget to ask Alice to come with me.

"Yeah, sure. We'll be there." Alice was never too busy to see Charlie.

"Great. Okay, I'll see you Friday after work then. Bye." I snapped my phone shut breathing in deeply. I was happy. I relished the thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**OK-I'm not a doctor so if I messed something up, just look past it. Also, there's a little lemonade in this chapter...**

Chapter 5

Edward

I had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. I knew my father's work schedule like the back of my hand. He got to the hospital every morning at eight. I looked at the clock. 5:15 am. I couldn't wait any longer to call him. I found his number on my speed dial and listened to the phone ring, wondering what in the hell it was exactly that I was doing.

"Edward!" my father answered excitedly. "How are you, son?" Just hearing his warm, soothing voice calmed my nerves.

"I'm good, Dad. How are you and Mom?"

"We're doing just fine. I will say though, you're mother's getting a bit depressed thinking of the upcoming holiday season without you." I knew it was rough on Esme that I chose to live so far away.

"I've been thinking about that, actually. I'm on-call that weekend so I'm not going to be able to fly home. But I checked Emmett's schedule and he's got an away game that weekend in California, so I was hoping everyone could fly out here and we could have Thanksgiving in Seattle." I'd been giving this a lot of thought in the last few days. I was more or less thinking I would be able to introduce Bella to my family that day.

_Getting ahead of yourself again, Edward._

"That's a great idea. I'll tell your mother tonight so she and Rose can make all the necessary arrangements."

"Sounds good." I paused, thinking of how I should start. "So Dad, I didn't actually call you to talk about Thanksgiving."

"Oh?"

"No. I...I wanted to talk to you about something." I took a deep breath. "Dad, how did you know Mom was the one?"

He sat in silence for a few moments.

"Dad?"

"Sorry, son. I was just thinking about what exactly that question meant to you." I smiled. He knew me too well.

"I met someone." I seemed to be saying that a lot lately.

"That's wonderful! Wait until I tell your mother!"

"No!" I practically yelled at him. "You can't breathe a word of this to Mom. Not yet." I was confused enough on my own, I didn't need any pressure from Esme.

"Okay, you have my word." He took a deep breath before continuing. "You want to know how I knew your mother was the one for me. Well, I suppose it was love at first sight. I'm sure you don't want to hear that, but that was the case for your mother and me. The moment I saw her lying on the operating table I couldn't imagine a world without her in it."

I knew the story. Esme had been hiking with a few friends and lost her footing, falling down a steep cliff. She was lucky that the fall wasn't high enough to be fatal and they hadn't gotten too far from the trailhead. She was rushed to the hospital where Carlisle was a surgical resident. The doctors in the ER had gotten her stable enough for surgery and Carlisle was the one to perform it, effectively saving her life. They've been together ever since.

To say that knowing this story influenced my decision to go into emergency medicine would be a lie. It was _the_ reason I went into emergency medicine. Without the doctors working on her in the ER, Esme wouldn't have survived long enough for Carlisle to get a chance to perform the surgery. In essence without their dedication, my mother would not be alive today; I would not exist.

"Yeah. I figured it was something like that." The way they look at each other could set the ground on fire. I'd never seen anything like it until Emmett met Rose.

"You don't like that answer, do you?"

"No, not really. This girl..." I wasn't sure how to continue.

"What's her name?" he prompted.

"Bella." I smiled hearing her name on my lips.

"Bella, that's a beautiful name."

"She's a beautiful girl." I sighed. I needed to start from the beginning. "Okay, Dad, here's the thing. The morning before I met this girl I had a dream." I explained the dream to him. "I've never felt anything so powerful before. It was like she took my soul with her. I woke up physically feeling like someone had reached in and twisted my heart. And then to see her sitting in the ER only hours later, it was confusing, to say the least. I guess...I guess my question is, how do I know whether this pull I feel to her is real or if it's just result of the feelings I had in the dream?"

He chuckled softly. "I can't honestly believe you think so little of yourself to not trust what you feel. Have you ever felt this way about anyone before?"

"No," I said slowly.

"I didn't think so. Edward, all this is completely normal. You've never felt love for another person other than familial love. You've never known its ups and downs, its ability to batter your senses, the sense of belonging you feel when you've finally found that one person that was made for you. It's unlike any other feeling in the world. It can be so intense, so incredible, it's terrifying. I would think there would be something wrong if you weren't second guessing yourself."

"Really? I mean, shouldn't I be running through the streets singing, completely certain that this is it for me?"

I had no experience of my own to go by, but isn't that what they always say love makes you do?

"No," he said laughing. "If you don't know already that she's the one, you soon will. It could be tomorrow, it could be months from now, even next year. No two people are alike, therefore the way our brain processes emotions is unique within ourselves, never causing exactly the same reaction twice. But there is one fundamental rule. If it's truly meant to be, you'll just know. It's quite simple, really. Just give it time, son. "

I breathed out noisily in relief. He always seemed to know exactly what to say. "Thanks, Dad. I'm glad I talked to you about this. I've got to get ready to go."

"All right, son. Are you going out with Bella soon?"

"Yeah. We're going out Saturday." My heart was beating faster just thinking about it.

"Call me and let me know how it went...and whether or not I can tell your mother." He hated keeping things from Esme, no matter who they were for.

"Okay. I will. Talk to you soon." I shut the phone and looked around the room.

I walked over to my shiny, black baby grand piano and started playing. I was no longer aware of the room around me. Every thought was of Bella and her warm, chocolate eyes that seemingly melted my heart with just a look. My hands flew across the keys instinctively, playing a melody so pure, so sweet, the sound of it brought me out of my thoughts. I played the melody again, listening to it carefully. I jerked my hands back and stared at the keys, realizing what I'd done. I got up and started to walk out of the room, running my hands through my hair. I turned to look back at the piano grinning widely. I had unconsciously pulled something out of my soul and written a song, a lullaby. And that was something that I hadn't been able to do in a very long time.

* * *

It was pouring down rain when I arrived at work. I raced into the building and shook the rain out of my hair. I grabbed the paperwork from the previous day and started over to the on-call room.

I saw Keisha on my way. "I'm going to get some of this paperwork done while we're slow. Page me if you need me."

She nodded her head as she passed me by.

I worked for hours on all the charts, my hand cramping when I was finished. I grabbed a bottle of water from the lounge on my way back to the ER.

"Dr. Cullen!" My name was called as soon as I walked through the doors. I hadn't even had time to change into my scrubs yet.

"Yes, Dr. Thomas?"

"There's a six vehicle pileup on the 405. Nine majors, five minors. They're bringing them all here. ETA ten minutes. I was just getting ready to have someone page you. We need all the help we can get.

"Of course. What happened?" It wasn't unusual to get multiple traumas when the weather was bad.

"Someone lost control of their car and did a 360 on the highway, causing a semi to jack-knife. With the rain, the other four vehicles didn't have time to stop before slamming into the semi. Police are on the scene trying to determine why the driver lost control while re-routing traffic."

I nodded my head and ran to get my scrubs on. By the time I came back, almost all the trauma rooms were set up. I put on an isolation gown and gloves and grabbed a pair of safety glasses before heading to the ambulance bay. As I looked at my watch, I could hear the sirens in the distance.

Three ambulances pulled in, one right after the other. I ran over to the third ambulance and slipped my glasses on as the EMTs opened the door and pulled out a stretcher with a young woman on it. One of the EMTs, Mike, handed me her chart. I took the chart while we quickly walked into the ER. "Name's Victoria Grey, age 18. Driving one of the cars that crashed into the semi."

I nodded my head. "Let's get her into the trauma room over there," I said, pointing to the room labeled one. "What are her injuries?"

"She sustained some chest contusions but other than that all signs are stable."

"Okay, let's move her. Ready. One, two, three." We moved her off the rolling stretcher so the paramedics could get back to the scene. "I need to get a chest x-ray!" I called out, to no one particular, knowing someone would get working on it.

"Where is he? Where's my boyfriend?" Her eyes were searching the room frantically.

"I don't know, Ms. Grey. Was he in the car with you?"

"Yes." I looked at over at Mike and he shook his head gravely before turning and walking back outside. "They were working on him when they pulled me out of the car. He didn't look good. Oh, God!" Her voice broke as she began sobbing.

"It's okay, Ms. Grey. I'll see if we can find something out for you." Now was not the time to tell her anything, even if I knew something. "But right now, I need you to calm down so I can examine you."

"Yeah...Okay."

I looked down at her chart. The monitor started to beep rapidly and I looked over at it. _Damn it._

"Ms. Grey?" Her eyes were starting to roll back into her head. "Shit, v-tach. Her BP just dropped out. I need a crash cart! I'm going to cardiovert." _Do not die on me._

I grabbed the paddles off the defibrillator. "Charge to 100," I said as I put the paddles in position. "Clear!" Her body jumped up with the shock. I watched the monitor. No change.

"Charge to 200!" I waited for a moment for the defibrillator to charge up. "Clear!" Her body jumped again at the shock. I checked the monitor again. "Come on, come on," I muttered under my breath. The monitor started to beep in rhythm with her pulse. I exhaled loudly.

_Systolic is stabilizing but she's still having multiple arrhythmias. Think, Edward. Possible pulmonary contusions? What's her blood type?_

I glanced down at her chart. It didn't say. "I need a unit of O neg. I'm going to run a chest tube."

One of the interns went to get the blood. I didn't look to see which one.

"We were on our way to my parents' house. He was going to meet my parents!" she was breathing heavily, almost panting, as she said this.

"Ms. Grey, you need to calm down." I laid my hand on hers. "What's your boyfriend's name?"

"James." She closed her eyes.

I looked around the room. "Has anyone contacted her parents?" I asked softly.

Jessica came in and nodded. "I just got off the phone with her mother."

The intern, Lily, came back in with the blood. I motioned for her to set it up. I turned away from Victoria and began opening everything I would need to run her chest tube. I had just gotten the tube from the package when the monitor began beeping erratically. I spun around and looked at it.

_Fuck!_ "V-fib! She's coding! Someone give me the paddles!"

"Charge to 100!" I waited for the machine to charge. "Clear!" Her body jumped off the stretcher. I looked over at the monitor. Nothing. "Charge to 200!" The machine charged. "Clear!" She jerked up with the shock again. Still nothing.

I looked at Lily. "Dr. Hunt! Start compressions! I'm going to get her chest tube in!"

She immediately came over, pushing her hands on Victoria's chest to try to keep the blood flowing in her body while Jessica was using a mask to pump air into her lungs.

I rushed over and finished opening the supplies. I sat on the stool and started cleaning the area of her chest where I would insert the tube before draping it. I injected a local anesthetic, although at this point, I didn't believe she'd feel anything. I let the medicine take effect while I got the scalpel.

"Hold compressions," I said to Lily and began making the incision as soon as she was still. I quickly made a passage, and inserted the tube in the incision. Blood began to slowly trickle down the tube once I entered the pleural space.

"Start compressions." Lily began again as I sutured the tube in place. _Still no pulse._

"Dr. Cullen!" Amy, a nurse, came in the room with Victoria's films. I walked over and examined them. _Pulmonary contusions with multiple rib fractures...all on the left side, most likely caused by her seatbelt._

Just then, the monitor started to beep, indicating her heart was finally beating again. _Thank God._ I took the stethoscope from around my neck and listened to her heart.

"Dr. Hunt, administer oxygen and monitor her pulse ox and breathing while you find her a room. Let me know if anything changes. I'm going to go see if I'm needed anywhere else."

I took of my gloves and gown and walked out of the room. I quickly put on a fresh gown and gloves before walking into the neighboring trauma room. One of the residents, Dan, was in the room. I grabbed the chart off the stretcher.

_Alex Reed, age 35, driving one of the other cars that crashed into the semi. _

"How's his CT look, Dr. Russell?"

"His stomach is herniating into his left hemothorax from a huge lac in his diaphragm."

"Have you paged surgical?" He nodded.

"Mr. Reed?" I looked at the man. It was hard to believe all that was going on inside his body.

"Yeah?" he asked weakly.

"They're going yo be bringing you up for surgery shortly." I started to turn to walk out of the room.

"Excuse me, sir?"

I turned back to Mr. Reed. "Dr. Cullen, please."

He smiled a little. "Dr. Cullen. Am I going to be okay?"

"You'll be just fine once you've made it through the surgery. Dr. Russell has taken excellent care of you."

"Thank you." I nodded and left the room.

I went to go to the next trauma room. I had just gotten to the door when I heard my name.

"Dr. Cullen!" Keisha was on the phone at the nurse's station. "Tell them Radiology is backed up!" I nodded my head and walked into the room.

"Okay, Radiology is backed up."

_Fucking hell._ The man laying on the table was unconscious while Amanda, a second year resident, was trying to stop the bleeding from his chest. She couldn't keep up with the amount of blood coming from the wound and it was dripping on the floor.

"Dr. Cullen!," she cried in relief. "His pulse is 220. I...I can't keep up with the bleeding!"

"It's okay. You're doing well." I walked over to the man and grabbed the stethoscope from around my neck, placing it on his chest. There was fluid around his heart. "Pericardial effusion. Get me a syringe and a spinal needle. I'm going in through the wound."

I grabbed the syringe and the needle from the nurse, joining them together while I moved to the man's side where his chest wound was. I carefully inserted the needle into his chest, using my fingers to feel for the space between his ribs where I would need to enter the pericardium. Once I was in, I started aspirating, filling the syringe up with blood.

"I'm going to need another syringe! Get me a 60cc this time."

"There's too much blood!" Amanda cried.

I ignored her. "Keep the syringes coming." I filled another syringe with blood.

The quick beeping on the monitor stopped, turning into one long beep. I looked over. "Asystole. He's flat lining. Get me a cardio board!"

The nurse brought a cardio board over. "Okay, starting compressions on my count. One, two, three!" We rolled the man over, inserting the board underneath him before laying him back down. I placed my hands on his chest and started pumping. The monitor beeped in time with the compressions.

"Edward." I looked up at the monitor before looking over at Amanda.

"Just keep putting pressure on the wound. I'm not losing him."

I kept up with the compressions until I felt like my arms were going to fall off. "How long's it been?"

"Twenty minutes." I stopped. _God fucking damn it!_

"Call it," I spat out, disgusted. I turned to Amanda.

She stumbled over her words for a moment before clearing her throat. She looked at the clock. "Time of death, 22:17"

I threw off my gown and gloves and rushed out of the room, slamming it behind me.

"You better get outta that mood Dr. Cullen. Another one's comin' in."

I looked at Keisha and pinched my nose between my fingers, taking a deep breath. I couldn't get the words out of my mouth so I just nodded my head before getting another gown and another pair of gloves and walked back to the ambulance bay.

Mike and his partner, Tyler, came out of the ambulance with a man on the stretcher. "What do we have?" I asked them.

"This one was DOA in the field, but we worked on him anyway for a while. We got a pulse thirty minutes ago but haven't been able to get one since," Mike said.

I looked down at the man on the stretcher. He was clearly dead. His eyes were lifeless and he was covered with blood. I pulled the blanket down away from his body and lifted the dressing away from his abdomen. It was ripped open, exposing all of his internal organs.

"Oh, my God!" I looked over to see Amanda standing beside me, staring at the man in horror.

"He's DOA, Edward. I just need you to call it." Mike was right, there was nothing I could do for the man.

"Time of death, 22:21" I took a deep breath. "Get him to the morgue."

I turned back to Mike. "How many more are there?"

"That was the last one," Mike said as he walked away. _Thank God._

I took everything off and went outside, breathing in the crisp air. It was inevitable in my line of work that a patient would die every now and then, but it still pissed me off every time. I knew I would be analyzing my actions for the next few hours, trying to see if there was something I should have done but didn't, something I missed, something I did but shouldn't have done, anything at all that might have changed the outcome. I heard the footsteps of someone approaching but didn't look over.

"Edward. Don't beat yourself up. There was nothing you could do." It was Tanya. _Great._ I nodded my head, saying nothing in return.

We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before she finally turned and walked away. I looked down at my watch. I had five more minutes before my shift ended. I didn't care. I couldn't go back in there, not today, not for a measly five minutes. I walked to my car, not bothering to change out of my scrubs and drove home.

I walked in the door to my house and slipped out of my shoes, putting my keys on the table in the foyer as I did so. I stepped into the living room and looked around, taking in the familiar khaki colored walls, the hardwood floors that I poured my sweat into refinishing, and the two paintings Esme had given me as a housewarming present, hanging proudly above the brown leather sofa.

I took a shower, standing under the hot water much longer than usual, trying to get the scenes from earlier out of my mind before brushing my teeth and heading to bed. I was so exhausted, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

_"Edward, wake up." I groaned, opening my eyes to see Bella leaning over me, her long brown hair forming a curtain around our faces. She was wearing nothing but a black lace bra and a matching thong._

_I smiled. "Hello."_

_"Hi." _

_She pushed her hair away from her face and leaned down to me, her eyes darkening with desire. She put her lips on mine and a shockwave of heat rippled through my body. I ran my tongue across her lips, begging for entrance. She parted her lips and our tongues danced together, causing my blood to boil. Her hand trailed down my stomach before playing with the waistband of my boxers, sending all my blood south. She gently slipped her hand in my boxers and grabbed my shaft, pumping gently, causing a low moan to escape my throat. _

_"Are you awake now?" she asked playfully._

_"Mmmm." _

_I grabbed her hips and quickly flipped her over, moving my body on top of hers, before crushing my mouth to hers again. I broke away from her lips, licking and kissing her neck, moving my way to her breasts, slipping my hand inside the lace of her bra. I moved my other hand toward her back, as she arched in compliance, flicking open her bra in one swift move. She pulled the bra off her shoulders as I watched. I brought my mouth to her breast, flicking her nipple gently with my tongue while my other hand moved to her panties, teasing her by gently moving my fingers across the skin under the material. She shuddered with desire as I moved my hand further under the black lace, gently stroking the already wet skin there. _

_I slipped a finger inside her, moving in and out gently, before slipping in a second. I moved my fingers in a 'come here' gesture inside her body while massaging her clit with my thumb. She arched her back and bucked her hips as I felt her walls clamp down on my fingers._

_"Oh, God! Edward!" she cried, making me grow harder at the sound of her moaning my name. She came fast and hard, her muscles rippling in waves as she poured into my hand._

_"Edward. I need you. Now!" she cried. I ripped away the black lace barrier and moved myself to her entrance. _

_I thrust into her, sending a rush of heat through my body. I was still for a moment, letting both of our bodies adjust to the sensation, before I began moving in and out of her slowly. She was so warm, so wet, I had to concentrate on not losing control._

_"Harder, Edward. Faster." I quickened my pace, lifting her hips so that she could take me deeper into her body. _

_I shifted slightly to find her most sensitive spot as I thrust forward, holding her hips in my hands. She gasped as I felt her walls tighten on me. I thrust into her harder as I felt my release building. _

_"Come with me, Edward!" she screamed, sending me over the edge. _

I woke up covered in sweat and completely dazed. _I had a sex dream of Bella?_ I pushed the covers off of me with a groan. I was harder than iron. I got up and splashed cold water on my face, trying to escape the dream. I finally decided it wouldn't be enough and took a cold shower. I slipped into a pair of boxers and got back in the bed. I looked around my bedroom and exhaled. I was not going back to sleep anytime soon.

I looked at the clock again and saw that it was 1:55am. I sat up and ran my hand through my hair. After debating for a few minutes internally, I reached over and grabbed my cell phone. I punched in the button and breathed in nervously, listening to the phone ringing at the other end.

* * *

** Bella**

The minutes on the clock seemed to be moving backwards all day Thursday. I knew it was in reaction to my anxiousness to see Edward again. I began to wonder if I would go crazy before Saturday night and was actually looking forward to shopping with Alice the next day, just to get my mind off of him.

I got home from work, ate dinner, and took a long, hot bath trying to relax myself before bed. Edward hadn't called me, which disappointed me more than I cared to admit. I needed a distraction from that thought. So I was going to read the new mystery novel I'd just checked out and was looking forward to crawling into bed and losing myself in the story.

I got under the covers and found myself immersed within minutes. I finished reading the book, looking at the clock as I set it down on my nightstand. It was after midnight. I turned off the light and tried to sleep, only finding myself tossing and turning, seeing Edward's face every time I closed my eyes.

Looking at the clock again, I saw it was 2am. Exasperated, I threw off the covers and sat up. I was just getting on my feet when my cell phone buzzed.

_Who could be calling at 2am?_

I picked up the phone and looked at the caller ID curiously. My heart stuttered in my chest. _Edward._ Edward was calling me. I smiled broadly at the phone as I flipped it open.

"Hello?" The smile was apparent in my voice.

"Bella." He seemed to let out a breath in relief. "I'm sorry to be calling so late, but I...I couldn't sleep."

"It's okay. I couldn't sleep either." The smile was still plastered on my face.

"Really? I know why I couldn't sleep, but why aren't you sleeping?"

"Oh, my brain won't shut off. I've got a lot on my mind." If only he knew.

"Hmmm. Me too."

"Really?" I asked coyly. _What's gotten into me?_

He chuckled softly. "Yes, really." He paused. " I can't seem to get you off my mind," he said quietly.

My breath caught. _Oh, my God._ "Me neither."

"What? You can't get me off your mind?" He seemed surprised by this.

"No. I haven't been able to think of anything else but you for the last ten days." _Oh, God. Shut up, shut up!_

I could almost hear his answering smile over the phone. We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"So I was thinking," he said, breaking the silence. "I'm not sure I can wait until Saturday to see you."

"Really?" _Say something else, Bella!_

"Yes, really." He was laughing as he repeated himself. "So I thought maybe I could take you out to lunch somewhere tomorrow."

"Okay, that would be great." I couldn't believe he wanted to see me already.

"You said you worked at the west branch?"

"Yeah." I almost melted into a puddle when I realized he remembered our conversation at the hospital.

"There's a cafe down the street. Could I take you there?"

"Yeah, I know where it is. They have good food. Do you want me to meet you there?" It was one of my favorite places to eat at with Alice.

"No, I'll pick you up. What time do you usually take your lunch break?"

"Usually at noon, but I can take it whenever."

"Noon is great. Meet me at the front entrance?"

"Okay." I was still in shock and could say nothing more.

"Okay. Bella, you should get some rest."

"Yeah, okay. Same for you, too." It was exhausting just thinking about all the hours he put in at the hospital.

He laughed. "I've learned how to function on very little sleep. And Bella? I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

I giggled. _Oh, jeez. I giggled._ "Me neither. Bye"

"Bye"

I snapped my phone shut feeling more relaxed than I'd been in the last week. _Edward thinks about me too,_ I thought as I laid my head on the pillow. Within minutes, I was finally asleep, with the same goofy smile still plastered on my face.

* * *

**Edward**

I hung up the phone and placed it back on my nightstand. I laid down, completely relaxed now that I'd spoken to Bella. I hadn't intended to ask her to lunch tomorrow, but just listening to her wonderful voice over the phone made me want more. I seemed to be following a pattern here when it came to Bella.

I closed my eyes and replayed the conversation over again in my head. She had seemed pretty happy with me that I'd called her. As I relaxed further into the pillow, my brain kept looping the same phrase she spoke to me over and over.

_I haven't been able to think of anything else but you for the last ten days._

I fell asleep, listening to her voice say that one little sentence that had managed to make my heart beat erratically and wondered what it meant that a woman I'd just met could affect me the way she did.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Edward

I didn't wake up until ten the next morning. I got up and took a shower, taking extra time to pick out something to wear. It had crossed my mind that she'd never seen me in anything but scrubs and a t-shirt, and I wanted to make sure I didn't come across as a slob. I hadn't decided what to wear yet when my cell phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and checked the caller ID.

"Seth! What's up man?" I met Seth Clearwater just a few days after I moved to Seattle at the gym. He invited me to play basketball with him a few days later. Now, we get together at least once a week to play with all his buddies from grad school. Even though he's younger than me, we've found we have a lot in common.

"Nada. Hey, wanna get together Saturday and play some ball?"

"I can't, man," I said smiling. "I'm working a double at the hospital and then I have plans."

"Cancel 'em!"

"No way, dude. I've got a date. And there's no way in hell I'm cancelling it just to play ball with you." I said, laughing.

"That's awesome! What's her name?" It didn't take much to make Seth happy.

"Bella. I'm actually getting ready to take her out to lunch today."

"Good luck, man. We'll get together next week then. And at the risk of sounding like a chick, I want details."

"You got it. See ya." I snapped the phone shut and got dressed.

I did a little laundry, doing the dishes and making my bed while I waited for the clothes to finish spinning, then put them in the dryer. I made sure the house was in order before walking out the door--I'm a bit of a neat freak.

I had taken a few hours a couple of days back to find out a little bit more about Seattle. I drove around aimlessly, noting all the places of interest that I might someday have a need for. I had been driving for an hour I noticed a sign and read the words "West Seattle Branch". It was the library Bella worked at. I turned to drive back to my house when I saw a small cafe. I was glad now that I had taken the time to get to know my way around town a little better, otherwise, I would have never been able to ask Bella to go to lunch with me there.

I pulled into the parking lot and parked next to a little gray Honda Civic. It looked like it could use a little bit of help, but it wasn't bad. Looking over at the car, I noticed there was a lei and a figurine dangling from the rear view mirror. It was a girl wearing glasses, holding an open book in her hands.

_Bella's car?_

I looked at the clock on the radio and saw that it was 11:55. _What the hell, might as well go and wait at the door._

I got out of the car and glanced toward the door. I saw Bella coming out and my heart literally dropped into my stomach. She looked amazing, wearing gray pants and a navy blue sweater. The color of the sweater set her skin off in such a way, all the blood in my head moved south. I grinned in anticipation.

_Oh, boy._

* * *

**Bella**

It was 11:50 and I was getting more and more nervous as the minutes ticked by. I was practically shaking, bouncing my leg up and down while I worked at my computer, unable to work, just staring at the screen. One of the other employees, Angela Weber, had been watching me closely for the last few minutes and I could see the confusion on her face as she took in my behavior.

"Bella, are you all right?"

She snapped me out of my trance. "What? Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Thanks." I looked at the clock, it was now 11:54. _I should just go on out there a few minutes early,_ I thought to myself.

I logged out, picked up my purse, and turned to Angela. "I'm going to go ahead and take my lunch. I'll see you in an hour."

I walked slowly to the main entrance, my muscles so locked up with fear I had to force myself to move. As I pushed open the doors, I noticed a new silver Volvo parked next to my beat up Civic. Getting out of the car was Edward, smiling at me as we walked towards each other. He was wearing jeans and a charcoal turtleneck sweater. He made my ensemble of light gray pants and a navy blue sweater look like something I picked out of the garbage bin.

"Hello," he said, smiling as he looked me over.

"Hi," I breathed. All my nerves seemed to disappear as I looked at his face.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said as he walked me to the passenger's side of his car. He opened the door for me and I noticed the new car smell mixed with his mouth watering smell. I inhaled deeply as I sat down, trying to commit it to memory.

He started the car and steered us out of the parking lot. We sat in comfortable silence as we made our way down the street to the cafe. He pulled into a parking space, and shut off the engine. I started to reach for the door, but he reached over me and pulled my hand back. I looked at him, his face much closer than I had expected, and lost all train of thought.

"Let me get it for you," he murmured, but made no attempt to move. His warm, sweet breath tickled my mouth, and I licked my lips in response.

He released his grip on my hand and got out of the car, quickly coming over to my side. He opened the door and held out his hand for me. I smiled shyly at his chivalry as he helped me out of the car. My hand was tingling, my heart pounding, from this small gesture. He led me into the cafe, never letting go of my hand.

As we approached the hostess stand, I noticed that many of the women in the cafe had turned and were starting at us. I lowered my head, cheeks flaming, in reaction to their blatant stares.

Edward turned to me, gently lifting my chin up so he could see my face. "Bella, what's the matter?" he asked in a low voice only I could hear.

"They're all staring at us," I whispered back.

He knit his brows in confusion and looked around. "Hmm. So they are." He seemed to get slightly uncomfortable as he noticed this.

The hostess came over, looking only at Edward. "Can I help you?" I didn't miss the fact that she was ignoring me completely.

"Table for two, please," Edward said pleasantly.

"Of course, right this way." She swayed her hips as she led us to a table, causing me to scowl.

"Here you go, sir. If there's anything else I can do for you, just let me know," she said seductively with a wink. _Jesus, could you be any more obvious!_ My blood began to boil and I balled my hands into fists.

"Uh, thank you." Her flirting seemed to make him uncomfortable. He pulled out a chair for me. "Here, Bella."

"Thank you," I said, trying to hide my fury. He looked at me curiously before bursting into laughter. My eyes widened in surprise, my anger subsiding.

"What?" I asked, laughing now.

"Are you jealous?" he asked, still laughing.

"No! I mean, maybe a little, " I said, lowering my eyes. "She just really pissed me off, flirting with you right in front of me!" I said hotly as I looked back up at him.

"You've got a bit of a temper there, don't you, Bella?" He said, smirking. I merely shrugged.

Suddenly his face was serious and he reached over and grabbed my hands across the table. "Bella, I've never wanted to be with another woman like this until I met you." I looked into his blazing eyes, trying to see where this was coming from.

"Really?" I asked softly, slowly smiling at him. His eyes were still dark with emotion as I said this. _Wait, he's never dated anyone?_ "Wait, what? You've never dated anyone before?" I was sure I'd misheard him.

"No," he said smirking. "I've never had the time. Never wanted to make the time." He shrugged. "Until I saw you, that is."

Stunned, I knit my brows in confusion. "I don't understand. How could _you_ have never dated anyone before?"

The waitress came up and took our orders. When she was out of ear shot, Edward continued. "Easy. My whole life I've wanted to be a doctor. I studied my ass off so that I could get into med school. When I finally got into med school, I studied my ass off so I could get matched up with a good hospital for my residency. And then learning to be a good doctor took over my life. I love what I do and I don't regret it." I was mentally trying to add all those years of school in my head. "Especially now, since it all led me here to you." Our eyes met. "And by the way, I really like the color blue with your skin" I immediately blushed, smiling as I looked down at my hands.

I was speechless, but my heart didn't miss what he was saying.

"Wait, why did you say the word 'you' the way you did?" _Shit._

I hesitated for a moment. " I don't know. I mean, look at you! You're gorgeous! And now that I've seen it first hand, it's obvious that you've had girls falling all over you your whole life. Hell, probably even some of the same sex do, too. So how is it you've never dated?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not a monk. I've had my fair share of fun, but it was always just about the experience. It was never serious. I just wasn't..." he paused, thinking. "Interested." He smiled at me.

I sat there, thinking about it for a minute. "What do you mean you've had your 'fair share of fun'?" I was very interested in this answer.

He looked a little uncomfortable. "Um, I fooled around a lot in school. You know, you're under so much pressure, you've got to release it somehow. I guess I've had about as much experience as the average thirty-year-old male." He shrugged.

"You're thirty?!" I was suddenly more interested in his age than his sexual history.

He looked at me, surprised by my outburst. "Yeah. Why?"

"You don't look thirty."

"How old do I look?" He was amused with me.

"More like my age, I guess." I knew he couldn't be, with all that time spent in school, but he looked much younger than he was.

"I look like I'm twenty-five?" He was really enjoying himself. I nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The waitress arrived with our food. We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Edward looked up at me. "So, what about you? Any possible psycho, jealous ex-boyfriends I should know about?" _Oh, shit. _He laughed at my expression. "I told you, now you tell me." I hesitated. I didn't want him to know exactly how inexperienced I was. He watched me closely before he leaned over, looking directly into my eyes. "Please," he pleaded.

My head spun. "Uh... Well... I...." I took a deep breath. "I've been on a grand total of four, count 'em, four dates. One of those was with Jasper, Alice's husband, which I don't really count since he was only there to tell me he'd met Alice and was in love with her. All of them have been first dates, so needless to say, I have no experience whatsoever."

He looked amazed. "I'm sorry, but Bella, how can someone as beautiful as you never have been on a second date with anyone?"

_He thinks I'm beautiful?_ A thrill shot through me and I had to struggle not to smile like an idiot. "I honestly don't know, Edward. I wasn't interested enough in three of the guys to worry about why they never asked me back out. The only one I _was_ interested in broke my heart before we ever got to the second date." I looked down and shrugged.

"Broke your heart? How?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it some other time." I was still looking at my food, I couldn't look at his face just yet.

* * *

**Edward**

_Who was the idiot who did that?_ She was staring at her plate, a sad expression on her face. _Does she still have feelings for this jerk off?_ I wanted to know more than anything what had happened to her, why it still was able to bring her pain. But, I sensed she wasn't ready.

"Well, consider this our first date. So, tomorrow will be our second date. And I can promise there will be many, many more." As she looked up, I noticed that there was no trace of sadness left in her eyes as she smiled. _Good._ I smiled at her crookedly in return and motioned for the check.

The waitress brought it over with a smile. I suppressed a groan. _Not today, lady._ As she walked away, I looked back over at Bella. "Since this is now officially a date, I'm buying." She looked like she was going to argue, so I quickly told her "No arguing." She smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile.

I opened the folder and looked at the bill in confusion, followed by anger. _What the fuck?_ Written on the back of the bill, placed in the folder facing down so I would clearly see it, was a note that read:

_If you want a real woman, ditch the bitch and call me._

_212-555-6962 _

_xoxo Candy_

"What's wrong? Did she mess it up?" If only.

"No, the bill's right." I sighed. "Look at the note, though." I passed the folder to her. _Oh, shit! Maybe I shouldn't have done that._

Confused, she took it from my hands and looked down. As soon as she saw what was on the back of the bill, she gasped in shock. As she read the note, I noticed her eyes were swimming with tears.

"Does this happen to you often?" she asked, her voice cold. _Oh, she was pissed all right._

"No, never something like this. Just the occasional name and phone number." I ran my hand through my hair. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have shown you that." I was praying that I didn't screw this up. I hated how unsure of myself I was around her. It was completely uncharacteristic.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." She was laughing lightly at my expression as she reached over and squeezed my hand.

"Are you sure?" She merely nodded.

I laid the cash on the table and got up. "Well, I guess I'd better get you back." I reached out and took her hand, interlacing our fingers, and led her to my car. There was no way I was going to let go of her now.

* * *

**Bella**

We arrived back at the library, and Edward insisted on walking me to the door. As I turned to tell him goodbye, I tripped over myself and landed right into his arms. He looked at me, an intense expression on his face, and slowly straightened me up without letting go. Our eyes held. He seemed to be debating something internally as he looked so deeply in my eyes, I was dizzy. Before I could register the movement, his lips were on mine. I relaxed in his arms, twisting my arms around his neck, and sighed as I parted my lips, wanting his tongue to meld with mine. He tasted better than I could have ever imagined. So warm and so sweet with a minty undercurrent. His tongue darted in my mouth, causing me to fist my hands in his hair to pull him closer. He moaned and nipped my bottom lip. My entire body was pulsing with heat, my head swimming, as his tongue swept over mine again, lingering this time.

He slowly pulled away, breathing heavily. "Bella." He bent his head down and nuzzled my neck.

"Huhm?" I couldn't feel my legs. I clinged to Edward, afraid if I let go, I'd collapsed. "Give me a sec," I breathed.

He chuckled as he pulled back. He reached up and gently cupped my jaw, tracing circles on my cheek with his thumb. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah." I was still out of breath.

He smiled his crooked smile at me. "I'll be thinking of you."

I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath. "Mmm, I'll be thinking of you too."

"Bye."

"Bye." As I watched him leave, I brought my fingers to my still tingling lips and smiled. My heart was light in my chest and felt like it might burst out of my chest with joy. _This is what I felt in the dream_, I mused. As I realized what that meant, I stopped abruptly. There was no way I was in love with Edward. I'd only been out with him one time. _I'm not in love with him, _I told myself.

Was I?

* * *

**Edward**

I hadn't planned on kissing Bella. I was saving that for tomorrow. But as I walked her to the door of the library, she turned to face me, stumbling into my arms. I held her there for a moment, just looking at her. She felt so good, so right in my arms. Like she was made for me. I slowly pulled her back to her feet and our eyes met again. I was suddenly no longer aware of anything around me, only of her warm, chocolate brown eyes. They were like gravity, pulling me down into their depths. I no longer had any control of my emotions around her. Her beautiful, plump, pink lips invited me in. Would her mouth taste as good as she smells? Better? I could no longer deny the urge to see if that addictive bolt of electricity that coursed through our bodies at the slightest touch would be stronger, more powerful, as we connected our mouths together.

_What the hell._

I crushed my mouth to hers, drinking in the taste of her lips. She relaxed in my arms, sighing, as she parted her lips to give my tongue access, the sound sending chills racing through my body. I put my tongue on hers, pulling back in shock at the intense surge of heat the contact sent burning through me. Her hands fisted in my hair, molding me to her body. A low moan involuntarily escaped my throat as my body demanded more. I nipped her lower lip, wanting her to feel the intense need I felt for her, before sweeping my tongue against hers again, this time, enjoying the shock I felt as I did. It was better than anything I'd dreamed up the night before.

I slowly pulled away wishing ardently that I didn't have to let go. My blood was racing through my veins, my lungs burning. "Bella," I panted, lowering my face to her neck, breathing in her intoxicating smell.

"Huhm?" She didn't move. "Give me a sec."

So she was as affected as me. I laughed softly and pulled back, knowing I would lose control if I didn't. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said, cupping her face and drawing circles with my thumb.

"Yeah." She was breathing heavily.

"I'll be thinking of you." My night at the hospital was going to be hell.

"I'll be thinking of you, too," she said closing her eyes.

"Bye."

"Bye," she said, as I turned to leave.

* * *

I had only been at the hospital for a couple of hours, but my mind kept going back to the way Bella felt in my arms, the taste of her mouth. I walked outside and pulled out my cell phone. I didn't think I was going to be able to make it until 6 pm tomorrow unless I heard her voice, one last time, before focusing on my work.

* * *

**Bella**

"Alice, I'm only going on one date with him. I don't need all these clothes!" I gestured to the pile of clothes in her arms. She always went overboard.

"Bella, we need to try on several different looks to see which one works with your body type and skin tone best. Now, go try these on while I look at shoes and accessories. I'll be there in a sec." She shoved the clothes in my arms and stalked off, her black, spiky hair bouncing, clearly on a mission.

I rolled my eyes and headed in the direction of the fitting rooms. The attendant took in the bundle of clothes as I walked up. "How many items, Miss?"

"I have no idea," I breathed, exasperated. She smiled politely at me and unlocked a room for me.

I started undressing and let my mind slowly wander. As I pulled on the first outfit, I found myself daydreaming. It was dark. I looked around seeing nothing but stars. As I started to sit up and get my bearings, a cool hand pulled me back down. I looked over to see Edward lying next to me. A smile spread across my face and I sighed in contentment. He leaned over and was suddenly kissing me with such passion, my head spun. He broke away from the kiss and started nibbling my neck, his mouth trailing from my hairline to the hollow at the base of my throat. His cool fingers gently brought my face to his as he took my mouth in his again, his tongue tracing my bottom lip, nipping, sucking...

"Bella? How's it going in there?" Alice pulled me back to reality.

"Fine." My voice was a little shaky. "Here, what do you think?" I learned at an early age to never try to pick something out on my own when Alice was around.

"It's okay. Try on the others."

We finally left the store with our purchases, my wallet much lighter, and made our way to grab a bite to eat.

As we sat down at a table with our food, I told Alice about my date with Edward. "So the waitress and the hostess both hit on him while you were there?"

"Yeah, it was infuriating to say the least." I was trying very hard not to think about how it felt.

"I bet. So Edward showed no interest in either of them at all?"

"No, he actually looked embarrassed about it. Even though he'd admitted to having girls hit on him before, he still looked uncomfortable with it." I shrugged. "Most guys end up with a complex."

"That's good, though. He's hot, but doesn't know it. "

"Yeah, he's hot all right. He kissed me goodbye at the library." I wasn't planning on telling her, but I couldn't stop myself.

"Really? Oh, my God! How was it?" she squealed. I looked around to see people looking at her strangely.

"Alice, be quiet!" I took a drink. "It was amazing. He's a great kisser."

She took a bite of her burger. "Bella, I'm really glad you've found him." She looked at me seriously. "Jasper and I were worried that you'd never find anyone to be happy with."

"I don't need to be with someone to be happy," I pouted. But I knew now that wasn't true. I could never go back. The feelings I'd felt in the short time I'd known Edward were better, more complete, than anything I'd ever felt before.

"No, you don't. But admit it, you've always thought there was something wrong with you." She hit the nail on the proverbial head. "And I know you still feel guilty about Jacob."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Bella, let him _go._ It wasn't your fault." she said fiercely. She could tell I was getting uncomfortable and thankfully changed the subject. "So, I went to a yoga class today while you were at work. " I looked at her and frowned, confused. She laughed. "I know, I know, surprise, right? I really liked it the other day. And now that you and Edward are dating, I won't have to drag you over there anymore so you can see him."

I breathed out in relief. "Oh, thank God, Alice. I was afraid I would have to embarrass myself three times a week in front of Edward while you played matchmaker." She laughed at my answer. Just then, I felt my cell phone buzzing in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID, a huge smile spreading across my face.

"Let me guess, Edward, right?" I nodded.

"Hello?" I couldn't wait to hear his voice.

"Bella." He seemed to breathe my name in relief again. "I only have a minute, but I just wanted...I needed to hear your voice." My heart flip flopped in my chest.

"Wow." I couldn't form a coherent thought.

"Is that okay?" He seemed to be worried about my answer.

"Yes, very. I'm glad you called. I've been thinking about you all afternoon."

"I've been thinking about you, too. More specifically, about kissing you again." My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught. "I plan to do a lot more of it in my lifetime."

"I think I could handle that," I smirked.

"Could you?" I looked up to see Alice making gagging motions causing me to giggle as I threw a fry at her. "What's so funny?"

"Alice. She's giving me a hard time about you." I could have killed her at that very moment.

"Oh, yeah? What are you girls out doing tonight?" His tone was light.

"Shopping. Alice insisted I buy something new for our date tomorrow." I looked over at Alice who just smiled in return.

"Is that so? What did you buy?"

"Nuh-uh. You'll just have to wait to see it." There was no way I was going to tell him about the knockout dress Alice found for me.

"Oh, I'll be there. Don't worry." He paused. "Don't forget to send me a text tomorrow with directions to your apartment."

"I won't, I promise." _How could I?_

"Okay. Well, I've got to get back to work but I'll see you tomorrow night. Oh, and Bella? I'll miss you."

_Oh, my God!_ "I'll miss you, too." I snapped the phone shut and looked back at Alice.

"Wow, that is some goofy grin you've got going on there, Bells." She smiled and winked. "I think it's time to do a bit of lingerie shopping."

That snapped me out of my thoughts. "What? I'm not sleeping with him on the second date!" I hissed.

"No, I know. But you want to, don't you?"

"Yeah, I mean, of course. Alice have you looked at him?" He was ridiculously handsome.

She laughed. "Yes, I have. Congratulations." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Bella? Did you just realize what you said?"

"Huh? Oh, that I wanted to..." _Oh, my God!_ She just grinned back at me. "But this doesn't change anything. I'm not sleeping with him on the second date. So, I don't need to look for any lingerie."

"Bella, I know you're not sleeping with him tomorrow. But I have a feeling you're going to need it anyway." And with that, she got up and started walking to Victoria's Secret.

_Shit._


	7. Chapter 7

**The big date! Things start to pick up with B & E in this chapter. It also gets a little steamy towards the end. **

* * *

Chapter 7

**Edward**

I had been at the hospital for eighteen hours now. Six more to go. It was completely dead. There had been a car accident, sending a man and two women our way. No major injuries--just a few fractured ribs, a broken femur that required surgery, and some facial lacerations. Another man was brought in after having an MI and was now in surgery. A child was brought in by his parents after falling out of the swing and breaking his arm. I took an x-ray an saw it was just a fractured radius, so I set his arm in a cast and sent him home. That was two hours ago. I was so bored I thought I would lose my mind.

Just then two police officers came in with a woman in handcuffs. "Got a report she was causing trouble at an apartment complex downtown. Picked her up and found some dope on her. We need to get her looked at before we lock her up. Make sure she's not going to OD or something."

I looked at the woman in shock. She was rail thin, with greasy, ratty mouse brown hair and flat, dull blue eyes . She had track marks on both arms and smelled like she hadn't bathed for weeks.

"Take her over to curtain three, I'll be there in a moment." He nodded and walked in the direction I had pointed him in.

"Fucking great," I muttered under my breath. I thought I'd said it quietly enough that no one heard me, but Keisha laughed at my comment. I looked at her sheepishly, "Sorry."

"Nothin' to be sorry for. I'd be thinkin' the same thing if I was in your shoes."

"Hmm. Guess you're pretty glad right now you're not in my shoes." I knew I would be.

"Damn skippy!" I shook my head and laughed at her as I turned and made my way to curtain three.

I pulled the curtain aside and walked toward the woman, who was now handcuffed to the bed. "Hello, I'm Dr. Cullen. Can you tell me your name?"

The woman looked up at me and smirked. Her pupils were so constricted you could barely see them. _Yeah, she's high._ "Rachel. You're a hot one, Dr. Cullen. Wanna fuck?" My eyes widened and I heard Keisha laughing in the background. "I got the best pussy in town." She started trying to pull her pants down, but couldn't get her fingers to cooperate. "C'mon. You know you want it."

"No, that's okay, really. How much did you shoot up, Rachel?" I waved a light in front of her eyes and got no response.

"Dunno." She jerked the arm that was restrained in the handcuffs once and scowled.

I turned to one of the officers. "What was she doing when you picked her up?"

"She was ranting and raving about some little demon in her apartment. She took a hand gun and peppered the wall behind her couch. She was screaming something about 'the fucker was jumping on my couch' when we got inside."

I nodded. "I'll have some blood worked up so that we can get an idea of what's running through her blood stream. But it doesn't look like she's in any danger. Most of the time overdoses occur within minutes after they've injected. I'll send a nurse in here to take her blood."

Before the officer could respond, Tanya rushed through the doors of the waiting room. "Dr. Cullen?" she screeched.

I quickly moved the curtain aside "What's the matter?" I asked as I hurried over to her.

"A man just brought a little boy in the waiting area. He said he'd been hit by a car."

"Get him back here, now!" _What the hell was she waiting for?_

She rushed back through the doors and I looked at Keisha. "Get trauma one ready."

I got a gown and gloves on just as Tanya and the man rushed back through the doors. The little boy's leg was dangling, clearly broken, and he was covered with blood. "Get him in here, now!"

I turned back to the man. "Put him down carefully." He did as he was told. "Do _not_ leave.

I turned back to the little boy. "He's not breathing." I listened for a pulse. None. "I'm going to start compressions. Keisha, get a round of epi going. Start a unit of O neg. Someone start ventilating. " I started compressions. "Get the x-ray ready."

I continued doing compressions, while the other doctors and nurses were moving around the room, getting the x-ray machine set up. "Time?"

"Ten minutes, Dr. Cullen," Keisha said. "Machine's ready. Better get covered up."

I nodded as I watched the arm x-ray machine be put in place over the boy's body. Once in place, I moved out of the way, throwing on the lead apron as I did. The machine took a series of images and I quickly moved back over to the boy and started compressions again.

"Time?" _Where are the fucking films?_

"Eighteen minutes." I continued compressions. What else could I do?

The door opened and Amanda rushed in. "I've got them!"

"Someone take over compressions." Keisha came over and took my place.

I walked over to the films. _Fractured skull, fractured clavicle, 1..2..3..4 broken ribs, pulmonary contusions, dislocated left shoulder, spiral fractured humerus, shattered radius, shattered pelvis, compound fractured femur, not including any internal injuries the CT might pick up. FUCK! How fast was this piece of shit driving?!_

I took a deep breath. "Time?"

"Thirty-one minutes," Keisha said quietly.

"Call it_," _I spat.

"Time of death, 13:12.

I threw off the gown and gloves in disgust and turned back to the man. "How did this happen?" The fury on my face was obvious. I was on the edge of breaking down.

"He was riding his bike outside. He'd been riding up and down his driveway, turning around in the street for a while. He went down his driveway , just like he'd been doing, at the same time a maroon car came flying down the road. He didn't even have time to stop before the car ran him down. They just left him there! Th...They didn't e..even stop!" He was crying now, rubbing his hands over his face. "I rushed over to him but he was uncon...unconscious. I went to tell his parents what happened but they weren't there. I don't know where they were."

"Why didn't you call an ambulance?" _With all his injuries, would it have even mattered if the paramedics could have gotten to him first?_

"We live just a few blocks away from the hospital. I figured it would be faster if I brought him myself." Tears were still streaming down his face.

"You did all you could. Thank you." I paused. "You need to go tell the officers in curtain three what happened. What was his name?"

"Chase. Chase Connelly." I nodded my head and led the man to the two officers waiting in curtain three. I couldn't break down just yet.

"This man was a witness to a hit-and-run. The victim was a child, male and was DOA when the man brought him here. He needs to give you his statement." I walked off. Normally I would stay and help, give the man sympathy, but I had none to give.

I went to the on-call room and shut the door. I sat on the bed and buried my face in my hands. The image of the little boy, _Chase_, on the stretcher, broken and lifeless, kept creeping back in my mind. _Where the fuck were his parents?_

My thoughts turned to the person driving the car and became murderous. I wanted to find the person responsible and do the same thing to them that they had done to the little boy. I wanted them to feel everything Chase had felt before he died. They deserved to die.

Suddenly, Bella's image popped in my head. I grew calmer. She didn't need a maniacal doctor, hell-bent on avenging the little boy's death, knocking on her door tonight. I laughed a little hysterically at the image it brought to my mind. She deserved better than that. I laid down and buried my face in the pillow. Suddenly, I felt so exhausted, I could barely hold my eyes open. I knew it was the after-effects of the adrenaline rush I had been on while working on the boy. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Bella**

I stepped out of the shower and looked at the clock. 6:15. _Oh, crap._ I had just over an hour to try and make myself gorgeous for Edward. I slipped on my pink terry cloth robe and started to rub my new Victoria's Secret lotion on my freshly shaven legs when the doorbell rang. _Damnit! I don't have time for this!_ I made sure I was decent enough and made my way to the door, surprised to see Alice and Jasper standing on the other side.

"Surprise!" Alice shouted, holding up her cosmetics case and a duffel bag. "I had a feeling you needed some help."

"Oh, my God, Alice, you're a life saver!" I pulled her into the door. "What are you doing here, Jasper?" It was unlike him to willingly subject himself to Alice's makeover madness.

"Alice and I are going out after she finishes helping you get ready. I'll be working on Monday's presentation while you girls do your thing." He held up his laptop bag and smiled.

"You'll do great Jazz, you always do." Jasper had to be the most charismatic person I'd ever met.

"Thanks, Bella." He turned to Alice. "I'll be in the living room if you need anything." He bent down, his blond hair brushing his forehead to kiss Alice before turning and making himself comfortable on my couch.

"Well, let's get to work," Alice said, pulling me into the bathroom.

An hour later, Alice had completely transformed me. My hair was in a sexy, messy knot at the nape of my neck, my eyes were smoky and framed with thick lashes, my lips covered with neutral gloss. I slipped into my new black dress and stilettos.

I went into the living room where Jasper was drumming on his laptop's keyboard. "How do I look, Mr. Whitlock?"

Jasper looked up and froze. He slowly took in my appearance and swallowed. "I'd say my wife knows what she's doing. You look amazing. You sure this Edward's worth it?" Always the protective big-brother-type.

"Yeah, I really think he is. Thanks for the compliment."

"Anytime, Bella," he said, shutting down his laptop and packing everything up. "Well, I'd say Alice and I had better get a move on before your date arrives."

"Oh, come on, Jazz, don't you want to watch his jaw drop when he sees Bella?" she asked, grinning mischievously.

"No, now let's go before he shows up." He was pushing her to the door.

"Thanks, Alice. I really appreciate it." I hugged her as Jasper opened the door.

" I want details when I get here tomorrow."

"You bet. Now, get out of here so I can freak out for a few minutes." I said, laughing as I shut the door. I only had about ten minutes before Edward was supposed to be here.

I went to the bedroom and started folding a load of laundry. As I finished folding the last piece, I heard a knock on the door.

_Oh, God. He's here._ I made my way to the door, breathing deeply to fight the nerves that were tying my stomach in knots. I reached for the handle and realized I was shaking.

"Get a grip, Bella," I muttered to myself before opening the door.

I took in Edward's appearance and sighed, feeling my mouth pool with saliva. He was wearing khaki cargos and a long sleeved light blue pinstriped shirt with a gray wool coat. His bronze hair was disheveled to perfection. His eyes widened as he took me in and swallowed convulsively, his Adam's apple bobbing, a flash of lust appearing in his eyes before turning flat.

"You...you look...I'm speechless. You are so beautiful," he breathed moving in to kiss my cheek. He groaned. "Oh, God, you smell fantastic." He pulled back and smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. They looked pained, sad.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I reached up and cupped his face in my hands, my eyes probing.

"That obvious?" I nodded. "I lost a patient today. A little boy who had been riding his bike and was involved in a hit and run." He shrugged. "It happens. It's not the first time I've dealt with something like this, but it never gets any easier." He exhaled loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers.

"Oh, Edward. I'm so sorry. We can do this another day if you'd like," I said as soothingly as I could.

"No! Bella, are you kidding? Knowing I was going to see you was the only thing that kept me from falling apart today." He pulled me close, inhaling deeply as he nuzzled my cheek. "Just seeing you has helped. I'll be fine, " he said, pulling back. "I swear." As he smiled at me again, I noticed that this time it reached his eyes.

"Okay, as long as you're sure."

"I'm sure." He looked at me and cupped my neck. "I've been waiting all day to do this. Come here," he murmured, pulling me into a soft, tender kiss, sending chills from my head to my toes. I shivered as he pulled back. "You okay?" he asked softly.

"Perfect," I sighed.

"Well, we'd better get going."

"Let me just grab my coat." I grabbed my long, charcoal wool pea coat and nearly laughed at the picture we made. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he said grinning wickedly, as he grabbed my hand and led me to his car.

* * *

As we pulled into the parking lot, I noticed we were at the steakhouse I'd always wanted to try. He led me into the restaurant as he held my hand. He gave the maître' d the information and we were quickly led to a table looking out over the Puget Sound.

I gasped. "Edward, it's beautiful."

He smiled broadly at my reaction. "I was hoping you liked it."

"I've always wanted to come here but never had the chance."

His brows knit in confusion. "Why not?"

"No one's ever asked me." I shrugged my shoulders.

He looked at me and frowned as he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the waiter, taking drink orders. "My name is John and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get for you to drink, madam?" He was eyeing my chest as he said this.

I ordered a glass of wine and shifted uncomfortably in my seat at his stare.

"And for you, sir?" He didn't even so much as glance in Edward's direction.

"Actually, I'd like the same. Just bring the bottle." Edward said, clearing his throat.

"I'll be right back with that," he said, smiling at me before he turned away.

I smiled back politely before turning back to Edward, forgetting what I was about to say as I took in his expression. He was furious. "Edward? What's the matter?" I asked, hesitantly.

"He was checking you out," he said through gritted teeth.

I chuckled softly. "Jealous?" His eyes widened but the angered look on his face was still there. "You've got a bit of a temper there, don't you, Edward?"

He laughed as realized I was using his words from lunch yesterday. "Yeah, I guess I do." The waiter came back with our wine and took our orders.

"So, Edward, you've made it clear you aren't from Seattle. Where are you from?" I was honestly curious what environment helped to create this wonderful human being.

"Chicago. My family's still there," he said, sipping his wine.

"Chicago? That's awfully far away from here." He nodded his head. "What made you decide to move to Seattle?"

"When I completed my residency, I put in my application at hospitals all over the country. I interviewed with several, but nothing really grabbed at me. I had set up an interview here and decided to take a few days before and see the sights. As soon as I got off the plane I knew. I was home--rain and all. I immediately got my certification for the state of Washington and took the job." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

"And your family? What did they think of you moving so far away?"

"Carlisle, my father, knew exactly how I felt. Said he felt the same way when he moved to Chicago. He's a cardio-vascular surgeon and one the reasons I wanted to become a doctor. Esme, my mother, was a little harder to convince. She's so warm, so nurturing, it was hard for her to imagine her oldest son living so far away."

"You're the oldest? How many of you are there?" I couldn't imagine what kind of gene pool this man had come from.

"Just two. I have a younger brother, Emmett, who plays football for the Bears back home. He's been married for a couple of years now to his high school sweetheart, Rosalie. They're trying to have a baby."

"Really? That's great!" I blushed. "Sorry, guess I got a little too enthusiastic there."

He chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, I think it's great, too." The waiter arrived with our food and we ate for a few minutes before speaking again.

"So, Bella, what about you? Have you always lived in Seattle?" he asked, taking a bite of his steak.

"No, I was born in a small town called Forks. It's not quite a four hour drive from here. My dad still lives there actually. He and my mom got divorced when I was little and I lived with my mother in Phoenix until I was in high school. My mother got remarried to my step-dad, Phil, who was a minor league baseball player. He travelled a lot and Mom tried to go with him as much as she could. I got tired of being on my own and decided it was time to move out. So, I moved back to Forks with my dad when I was seventeen. My mom and Phil live in Jacksonville, Florida now." I hadn't meant to say all that, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. "Sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous."

He didn't seem to mind. "Forks, huh? I have a friend who's from there. Seth Clearwater?"

"You're friends with Seth?" He nodded, smiling. "He's a couple of years younger than me but I saw the Clearwater's every time I visited my dad. Charlie is friends with his dad, Harry." _He was also really good friends with Jacob._ But I kept that to myself.

"What does your father do?" he asked, looking at me curiously.

"He's the Chief of Police in Forks."

His eyebrows shot up. "Really? What about your mom?"

"She's an elementary school teacher in Jacksonville." I was getting full, pushing my food on my plate.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope, just me." He looked at me strangely. "What?"

"I just can't imagine being an only child. Even though Emmett and I live our own lives, we're still very close." His face lit up with the mention of his brother. "So, are you finished?" I nodded. "Would you like some dessert?"

"No, thank you. I'm stuffed."

"Okay, then. Let's go." He said, signing the check. I hadn't even noticed the waiter bring it over.

"Where are we going?" I asked, I was seriously going to have to try to pay for something on this date.

"It's a surprise." _Oh, goody._

* * *

We pulled into a parking space and I looked out of the windshield at the flashing neon sign hanging on the building. "A dance studio?" _Oh, no. Oh, God. Please tell me he's not taking me dancing._ He merely nodded in affirmation as he took my hand and led me through the door.

"Edward, I can't dance." I was getting nauseous thinking of all the ways I could make a fool out of myself.

"Relax. Anyone can dance." He led me to the front desk and smiled widely at the pretty blond woman behind it. "Irina!" he exclaimed.

"Ah, Edward, how are you?" Her voice was raspy and seductive, with a thick, Russian accent.

"I'm good. I reserved one of the studios for us tonight." _Oh, my God. He reserved a studio?!_

"Yes. And who might this lovely woman be?" she asked, inclining her head to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Irina, this is my Bella. Bella, this is Irina, she owns the studio here." I was reeling with emotion from his casual introduction. _My Bella. _Irrationally, I already loved the way that sounded.

"Hello, Bella. It's wonderful to meet you. I'll let you two get to it." She turned to Edward. "Please, let me know if you all need anything." She smiled at me before she walked away.

Edward led me to the studio and plugged in his iPod to the stereo system that was against the wall. Frank Sinatra came out of the speakers. I raised my eyebrows.

"What can I say? I have eclectic taste. This is a great song to waltz to."

_Excuse, me. What?_

He laughed at my shocked expression as he took me in his arms. "Here, let me show you," he murmured, moving my hand on his shoulder and taking the other in his. "It's really quite easy." He began slowly moving his feet, occasionally pulling my foot forward with his. He gazed at me intensely, lost in thought.

Until I stepped on his foot with the heel of my shoe. I saw the pain flash across his face before I realized what I'd done. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. Are you all right? I told you I can't dance!" I was mortified, my cheeks flaming with color.

I tried to step out of his embrace, but he just held me tighter. "It's okay, Bella. I figured I'd get my toes stepped on a few times when I decided to bring you here," he said, smirking.

"What? You knew I'd hurt you?" I couldn't understand why he would want a broken toe.

"Yes. I thought it would be a challenge, for both of us," he replied calmly. "Here, put the balls of your feet on mine. I want to try something." I cautiously did as he said. Once he felt I was secure, he twirled me around the studio, dancing flawlessly to the music.

My jaw dropped as I watched our reflection in the mirror. "Where did you learn to do this?"

"My mother put Emmett and me in ballroom dancing lessons growing up." He shrugged. "It has its moments," he said as he grinned crookedly. "I come here every now and then so I don't get rusty."

The music on the playlist Edward was playing changed abruptly. The music coming out of the speakers was soft, slow, smooth. My brows furrowed as I realized the song that was playing. "Claire de Lune?" I asked looking up at Edward as we stopped dancing.

He looked surprised. "You know it?" I nodded my head.

He dropped his hand from mine and placed it with the other at the small of my back as I lifted my hands and joined them behind his neck. We were swaying our bodies slowly, sinuously, no longer following the sound of the music, but in rhythm with the beating of our hearts. He gazed at me, looking at me as though he could see straight through me, before he rested his forehead against mine.

He closed his eyes and inhaled. "Bella," he whispered, my name barely audible through his lips.

My body shivered as his breath washed across my face. He felt my response, and looked at me questioningly. The question in his eyes suddenly changed as fire raced through them instead. My breath hitched as he bent down and pressed his lips against mine. My blood boiled, burning through my veins with such strength I gasped, fisting my hands in his hair and pulling our bodies closer. His fingers traced along my spine as his tongue ran over mine, fighting for dominance, before he caught my lower lip in his teeth and pulled, causing me to groan with pleasure.

His lips broke away from mine, moving up my jaw line and to my neck. He nipped my neck from just behind my ear to the hollow at the base of my throat; it was all I could do to hold on. He cupped my face in his hand before assaulting my mouth again, fiercely, passionately, before finally pulling away.

"Bella," he whispered again, his breath ragged. I opened my eyes and looked back up at him. "I don't know how, but I'm already in love with you," he said, so quietly I couldn't be sure. My mind was racing with the possibility.

How could this be ? We hadn't even known each other for two weeks yet. I knew almost nothing about this man, yet as I looked into his eyes for the answer, I felt it. My heart swelled in my chest, taking up so much space, I struggled to breathe. I didn't know all the small, intimate details of his life; what kind of soap he used, what kind of toppings on his pizza he preferred, the stories of his past. Those things I could learn. But looking into his eyes, I found myself looking at a kindred spirit. I _knew _him, with every fiber of my being, every cell in my body. I was _home._ I felt more complete, more alive, than I'd ever felt before. He had put some piece of me back into place that I'd never known I'd been missing.

I felt my eyes tear up as the realization hit me. "I'm in love with you, too," I said, smiling, a tear falling down my cheek.

His eyes burned with emotion, his face lighting up with a wide smile as he wiped the tear from my cheek. "Let's go," he said, wrapping his arm around my waist and leading me to the car.

We drove back to my apartment in silence, our hands intertwined and my head resting on his shoulder, the air thick with emotion. His hand only left mine long enough for us to get out of the car before he joined them together again.

I unlocked my apartment door and turned to him. As I looked up at his face, I froze. "What's the matter, love?" he asked, rubbing circles on my cheek with his thumb soothingly.

"I can't...I don't know if I can be away from you now," I said, looking down at our feet blushing--again.

He gently lifted my chin up to face him. "I don't have to leave," he said hesitantly.

I looked at him, emotions running through me. Fear, relief, confusion, joy. "What do you mean?" I managed to squeak out.

"I could stay the night, here with you." Fear won out and caused my eyes to widen drastically. "We would only sleep," he hurried at my expression. "I'm not taking advantage of you, I promise."

I exhaled in relief. I wanted Edward. As surprising as it was, it was true. But I had never been this deeply connected with anyone like this before. Not even Jacob. My brain still needed to wrap itself around the concept.

"I would love to wake up next to you," he murmured, brushing his lips against mine.

My lips curved. "That sounds wonderful," I sighed as I led him through the door.

I gave him an old t-shirt I found of Jasper's and the extra toothbrush I had in the drawer. I went to the bathroom and washed the makeup off my face and brushing my teeth before pulling the pins out of my hair. I put on the nightgown and the matching underwear Alice had picked out for me. It was slate blue satin and came mid-thigh with spaghetti straps and ivory lace trim at the chest. At least now I knew why she said I'd need it.

I came out of the bathroom to find Edward already sitting on the bed wearing the plain, gray t-shirt of Jasper's and navy blue plaid boxers. My mouth watered and the room tilted. I grabbed onto the door frame, realizing I had forgotten to breathe; I seemed to have a hard time doing instictual things like that in his presence. He heard my movement and looked up, his jaw dropping, eyes glazing over as he took me in from head to toe.

I smirked, pleased to have caused his reaction, and moved to the bed, situating myself under the covers. Edward pulled my face to his and kissed me so tenderly my heart fluttered in my chest.

"You are so beautiful, Isabella Swan." His scorching gaze ran over my face.

My cheeks grew hot, and I looked down. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"I love the way your skin looks when you blush," he murmured, stroking my cheeks with his hands, his sweet breath assaulting my senses.

He pulled me to him, kissing me softly, his hands lingering on my face. The kiss slowly built and I found myself wanting more, needing more. I fisted my hands in his hair, pulling him closer and he gasped, shifting our positions so he was hovering on top of me.

My hands moved to his waist and slowly crept up under the hem of his t-shirt, lightly caressing the muscles in his back before I moved my hands to his stomach, feeling the strength of his muscles as I made my way up to his chest. I wanted to memorize the way he felt under my fingertips.

He shuddered, and his kiss grew stronger, more needy. His tongue traced along my lips before his teeth nipped my bottom lip and gently pulled, a groan softly coming out of my mouth as he did.

His hands, which had been still at my sides, moved as he shifted his weight to leave his right hand free. His hand cupped my face and pulled me even closer to him before slowly tracing along my jaw, down my neck, then down my arm, sending shocks of heat straight from his fingers to my heart. He moved his hand to my hip, holding it tightly, before moving it along my ribcage and up to my breast.

He softly cupped my breast, while his thumb gently grazed my nipple. I moaned with the sensation and I felt his lips curve up as he lazily ran circles with his thumb around my nipple before slowly pulling away.

He looked at me for a moment. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, he moved back to my mouth and pushed his body against me. His erection did amazing things to me. While he was grinding his hips on mine, I felt the pressure in my body build in response. I'd never experienced anything like it before in my life.

He broke away from the kiss and moved my ear, licking and sucking on it before saying, "I want to make you come, Bella."

I could form no words so I merely nodded. His hand moved down my stomach and inside my panties. He slid a finger down me, causing my hips to buck. I could feel his smile as he hovered over my mouth. He kissed me again as he slid his fingers inside me, moving around gently. He seemed to be searching for something as he moved his fingers in and out and around. Suddenly, he found it and I thought the pressure in my body would cause me to explode.

"Oh, God!" I gasped against his mouth.

He gently moved his thumb on my clit and kept moving his fingers on that spot. He had stopped kissing me and was hovering over me. "Open your eyes, Bella." I did as I was told and found myself looking into his eyes. "I love you," he said confidently, no longer questioning what was happening between us. That was all it took to send me crashing over the edge.

My body was a live wire, wanting and needing more of Edward's touch, his smell, his taste. But my brain was screaming for me to stop. I didn't want to sleep with him on our first real date. I would feel trashy if I did. But now that I knew how I responded to his touch, I wasn't sure how long I would wait.

He seemed to be able to sense this and rolled over and pulled me into the crook of his arm. I laid my head on his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat and ragged breathing match the pace of mine. He took my hand and interlaced our fingers, his thumb gently tracing the scar on my palm. It suddenly dawned on me that if I was that worked up with his touch, he might feel the same. He was probably extremely uncomfortable now, while I was fully sated and sleepy.

"What about you?" I asked shyly.

"What do you mean, love?"

"Well, I mean, I'm sure you weren't unaffected by that nice little display earlier. So, I'm asking, what about you?" I leaned up and looked at his face.

"I'm fine," he said tightly. "Tonight was about you."

I cautiously moved my hand down his stomach and found out he was not exactly fine. "Edward," I said softly. "You are not fine."

I moved my hand under his boxers and closed it around his shaft. He was a lot bigger than I'd expected. His breath hissed out and I began pumping my hand lightly.

I had no idea what I was doing. "Show me what you like, Edward." I couldn't believe the words came out of my mouth.

He brought his hand down and closed it over mine. He squeezed harder and started going faster. Keeping pace, I maneuvered myself so that I could kiss him. His whole body tensed up and his breathing picked up. He must have been more affected than he let on.

"God, Bella. I'm so close." I let my thumb graze over his tip, collecting the wetness there. He groaned as he came, and I felt his whole body shudder, his sticky release coating my fingers.

I leaned over and got a Kleenex and cleaned up our mess. He laughed softly. "What?" I looked at him before I laid back in his arms.

"You're...perfect, Bella. Thank you."

I smiled. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself." I was shaking with his silent laughter.

We laid in silence for a while, as our breathing slowed and our hearts returned to normal. "Do you have to work tomorrow?" I asked, lazily.

"No, I finally got a day off. Why?" he asked quietly.

"I'm going to dinner at my dad's house tomorrow with Alice and Jasper. Would you like to go?" I asked nervously.

He pulled my face up to him and looked in my eyes. "You want me to meet your father?"

I was too nervous to answer. I nodded and closed my eyes. 

_Please say yes, please say yes._

"I'd love to." I opened my eyes to see a smile pulling up the corners of his lips. "What time are we leaving?"

"Around ten," I said, yawning as I laid my head back on his chest.

"Sleep well, Bella," he said sleepily, pulling me to his chest tighter.

"M'kay," I mumbled. "Good night, Edward."

"Good night, love." I snuggled closer to him and found myself lost in the rhythm of his heart, asleep in minutes.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Edward**

I woke up as the sun was just starting to rise. I looked down at Bella, sleeping soundly in my arms. Her hair was splayed out across the pillow, her pink, pouty lips were slightly apart. She was even more beautiful in her sleep.

"Edward," she mumbled as she slept. My heart leaped at the sound. "I love you." _Hmm...she talks in her sleep._ A wide smile broke out on my face and I couldn't think of anything more perfect coming from her lips.

As I watched her, I thought about our date.

_The iPod had shuffled to Claire de Lune. She looked at me quizzically. "Claire de Lune?"_

_"You know it?" This woman would never cease to amaze me. _

_She merely nodded her head. I moved out of the waltz stance and held her in my arms, while our bodies swayed to their own pace. She fit so perfectly in my arms, like she was made for me. She would be all I'd ever want. But was I good enough for her? Being a doctor was all I'd ever known. She deserved someone who could be there for her in ways I couldn't. Someone who didn't have to leave her to constantly work long hours at the hospital. Someone who would be able to sleep by her side every night for the rest of their lives. Someone who didn't have to leave in the middle of an anniversary dinner, while trick-or-treating with the kids, or while exchanging Christmas presents, because of an emergency at the hospital. _

_I looked at her, losing myself in the depths of her warm, chocolate eyes again. But would I give it up for her? The answer absolutely terrified me. I would. Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew in that moment that everything in my life had led me to her. Every thought, every choice, every action brought me here. I was nothing without her. In that moment, I felt something shift inside of me. The feeling that overcame me was indescribable. I rested my forehead against hers and breathed her in. _

_"Bella," I whispered, my eyes never leaving hers. She shivered and I wondered if she was cold. _I love you_, I thought as I bent down to kiss her. Her taste consumed me again, even more powerful now with the knowledge of my love for her. It was all I could do not to drown._

_"Bella," I said as I struggled to catch my breath. Her name was so sweet on my tongue. "I don't know how, but I'm already in love with you," I whispered before I could stop myself. _

_The look that came into her eyes spoke to me before she said the words. And I knew she felt the same way. "I'm in love with you, too," she said, smiling, as a single tear rolled down her cheek. I thought my heart would explode with joy in that instant._

The smile remain plastered to my face as I thought of the memory. Bella shifted in her sleep and I looked back at her. Her face was no longer peaceful, but set in a frown; my smile faltered. She mumbled incoherently before a tear rolled down her cheek. "Jacob! Jacob! I'm so sorry!" she cried. "It's my fault. It's my fault!" She was thrashing, tears streaming down her cheeks.

I had the sudden urge to protect her from this Jacob, as I wrapped my arms tighter around her. "Bella, Bella. Shh, love. It's okay, it's all right." I spoke calmly, rubbing my hands soothingly over her arms. She relaxed again, her breathing becoming more even. _ A nightmare, _I thought as I slowly untangled myself from her and got out of the bed.

I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, then made my way to the kitchen. I rummaged through the refrigerator and got out everything I needed to make her breakfast. I wanted to make our first morning together special. After some more rifling through the cabinets, I found everything to make coffee.

I put the biscuits in the oven and started frying the bacon, my mind going back to the pain and sadness that was on Bella's face as she laid in my arms dreaming. _Who the hell is Jacob?_ I couldn't stop myself from speculating, a million things running through my head. Did he hurt her? Is he the one who broke her heart? Why would anyone want to do such a thing?Was she still in love with him? _Surely she's not, right? _Did she really mean what she said last night? _ You saw the look in her eyes, how could you doubt that? _ Where is he now? What does she think is her fault?

I had finished the biscuits and bacon and kept it warm in the oven and was just about to start on the eggs when I heard Bella shuffling into the kitchen. I grabbed a mug and handed it to her. "I don't know how you like your coffee," I said sheepishly.

"I keep some Coffeemate in the fridge." She smiled as she looked around the kitchen. "You made me breakfast?" Her face lit up at the possibility.

Does she honestly not know how amazing she is?

"I was going to bring it to bed, but you beat me."

She walked over to me and put her arms around my waist, kissing my shoulder. "Thank you."

I turned my body to face hers. "You're welcome." I bent down to kiss her gently before turning back to the stove.

I made us both a plate and carried them to the table. "Here you go."

She took a bite. "This is really good."

"Thank you." We ate in silence for a moment before I asked the question that had been burning in my brain for over an hour. "Who's Jacob?"

Her eyes widened with shock and she choked on her coffee. "How do you know about Jacob?"

"You were talking in your sleep."

Her cheeks grew red. "Oh, God. What did I say?"

"Which time?"

"I said something more than once?" She was really blushing now.

I chuckled. "Yes." I took a sip of my coffee. "Well, first, you said my name and that you loved me." She blushed even deeper. "After a while, you said his name twice before saying you were sorry and that it was your fault." I paused. "Bella, you were crying."

I could see the tears start to form in her eyes. I looked around the room trying to think of a way to make her feel better about telling me. I needed to know. I thought of her love for books. "Bella."

"Yeah?" she asked weakly.

"Tell me a story, love." She looked at me in confusion. "If it helps, tell it to me like a story."

She took a deep breath before starting. "There once was a girl who lived in Phoenix with her mother. Every summer, she would travel to Forks to visit her father for two weeks. Her father's best friend, Billy, was a member of the Quileute tribe in La Push. They would spend a lot of time with him and his son, Jacob. She and Jacob became friends, and looked forward to their time together during her summer visits with her father.

"One year, the girl decided to live with her father in Forks. She started going to school at the high school in Forks and made new friends. Even though she had friends, she still spent most of her time with Jacob. Eventually they became best friends, becoming practically inseparable.

"One day Jacob invited her over and told her he was in love with her. He begged for her to give him a chance, to take her out on a date and let her see that they were meant for each other. She agreed, because she would do anything for him, and wondered if maybe she felt the same way, too.

"Jacob took her to Port Angeles to dinner and a movie. Everything felt right, natural, between them. He took her home and walked her to her door, kissing her good night; it was her first kiss. She knew at that moment she loved him. She told him how she felt and they made plans to go out again the next night."

She took a deep, shaky breath and wiped a tear from her eye. "She was going to meet him at La Push beach after work the next night. About halfway to the beach, her truck died and she pulled over to the side of the road. Jacob couldn't afford a cell phone and she knew he was already at the beach, waiting for her. She called his father, Billy, who told her he would call Jacob's friend Embry. At the time, she thought that Billy was going to ask Embry to come and get her since Jacob was at the beach. Billy called her back five minutes later and told her that Jacob was on his way to pick her up. She waited in the truck for over an hour before she called Billy back. She told him Jacob had never came and gotten her, so Billy said he would call Embry back. Billy called her again and told her Jacob had left the beach right after he called Embry to tell him about my truck. He then told her to call her father and explain to him what had happened. Thirty minutes later my father came and told me the news."

She was in tears now. "You see, Edward, Jacob and Embry had gone down to the beach and were setting up a tent when Billy called Embry's cell phone. Jacob was planning a romantic, candlelit picnic for me. It was almost dark and raining and Jacob didn't want me to stay by myself for very long. He got on his motorcycle and left Embry to finish setting everything up. He was rushing to get to me and he overshot a turn and crashed." She started crying. I went and knelt in front of her, rubbing my hands on her thighs. "H-h-he was t-tr-trying to s-s-see me. H-h-he d-d-d-died because of me!" Her chest was heaving and she was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Oh, God. Bella. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault." I pulled her into my lap and she buried her face in my chest. "Shh, it's okay, love."

"Yes, it is. If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have ever gotten on his bike that day!" she screeched.

I stroked her hair and began softly humming the lullaby I had composed, trying to soothe her. It all suddenly made sense to me why she didn't date.

Eventually her sobs subsided and she looked up to my face. I wiped her tears with my hands and kissed her hard on the lips. "Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For letting me cry it out." She took my face in her hands. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Bella, it's okay. I understand. But understand this. It was _not_ your fault. You have to let go of this guilt you feel. You didn't make Jacob's choices that night. _He _did."

She looked at me for a few minutes before she spoke. "Alice keeps telling me that. And I get that, I do. My head understands perfectly that it was not my fault. I was just sitting in my truck on the side of the road somewhere, nowhere near Jacob when he crashed. But my heart won't let it go. We were supposed to go on a date. He was coming to get _me_. If I hadn't agreed to go out with him in the first place none of it would have ever happened. He would have gone to college and become some hot-shot engineer like he had always planned. I have lived with this...this guilt and..._fear_ since I was seventeen."

"What are you afraid of?" I asked, cupping her face in my hand.

"I was afraid if I gave my heart to someone else, something would happen to them, too. I didn't want to date, didn't want to try. I didn't want to fall in love again just to have my heart broken. And then I met you. I gave you my heart and never even gave it a second thought. Edward, I can't...I can't even begin to think how I would be if I lost you. My chest feels like it's been torn open just thinking of the possibility." She blushed as she said this, new tears running down her face.

"Bella," I growled, kissing her passionately. "Nothing will happen to me." I took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. We were moving so fast, I wasn't sure I could keep up anymore. "Isabella Swan, I meant what I said last night and more. The night before I met you, I dreamed of you. You were this perfect, beautiful angel who stole my heart." I grinned sheepishly. "I had never felt anything like it before. And then you left, ripping my heart out and taking it with you. I woke up with my chest throbbing. I was petrified. And then I saw you at the hospital. Nothing could have prepared me for the feelings that ran through me when you looked at me that night. I tried to fight it, but I realized last night that I couldn't anymore. You're like gravity to me, Bella, pulling me in to you. I don't have a choice; I don't know if I ever had a choice. I love you--so deeply, so truly--it terrifies me." I exhaled sharply, waiting for her response.

Her face broke out into a wide smile. "I dreamed of you, too. Of our life together. I dreamed that Jacob came to me and showed me what I always thought our life would have been like if he was still alive. He told me I could still have it and took me to a beautiful khaki colored room with hardwood floors and a black piano. He showed me a man and a little bronze haired little girl. The man in the dream was blurry, but the little girl was perfectly clear. She looked just like you, but with my eyes. As soon as I saw you, I knew. You were the man in my dream, I was just too afraid to see it. You...you put me back together, Edward. You found a part of me that I didn't even know I was missing and gave it back to me. And I love you, more than I could have ever thought possible."

I kissed her so fiercely, I thought my body would explode. "Bella, that room...that's my living room."

"What?"

"The room, from your dream. You just described my living room." I couldn't believe it. I hadn't had a chance to take her to my house yet. "Apparently, it's our living room." I smiled at the thought. "How weird is this?"

She giggled softly. "Very weird."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

I held her in my arms, unable to let go, kissing her everywhere. I couldn't get enough of her, would never get enough of her.

I heard the front door close and hear a high, soprano voice call out. "Bella?" How long had we been sitting here? I heard footsteps walk towards us. "We're here a little early. I hope you don't mind..." She trailed off when she saw us in the kitchen. I'll just...I'll just go in the other room." I looked up to see Alice as she spun around, dragging the blond-haired man with her.

Bella looked over towards her living room and called out to her. "It's okay, Alice, we'll be ready to go in a minute. Edward's going to come with us." She turned to me and smiled as she rolled her eyes. "Alice. For someone so intuitive she can really have bad timing," she said laughing. "We should probably get ready to go. Would you like to take a shower?"

"Yes, but you can go first. I'll clean this up while you're in there." She nodded her head, and I reluctantly let her go.

I got up and started to fill the sink with water. "So you spent the night here, huh?" I looked over at Alice, who had an all-knowing grin on her face.

"Yeah," I was blushing. _I_ was blushing!

"Why?" I looked at her, confused. "I mean, I told her I didn't think you two would be having sex together but I knew you'd be here today when I got here. However, I didn't know I would walk in on a make-out session today. I'm sorry about that." She smiled ruefully. "So, back to my question. Why did you stay?"

I had finished washing the dishes and was rinsing them. I shrugged my shoulders, hoping to be nonchalant. "She didn't want me to leave, so I offered to stay here with her. It actually worked out because she invited me to her dad's with you all. I hope you don't mind." I turned to Alice with a hopeful expression on my face.

She smirked. "Of course not. You do realize you're the first guy she's ever brought home to Charlie, right?" I nodded. "You do know what that means, right?" I nodded again. "Do you love her, too?"

"Yes," I breathed.

She grinned widely. "Good. Does she know?"

"Yeah. I told her last night. Listen, Alice? She told me about Jacob this morning."

Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a round 'o'. She shook her head, looking down. "She never got over it. It's been eight years, and she never got over him. Never let herself. Until now. She doesn't talk about it...ever. Jasper and I have tried to get her to go out, set her up on dates, everything we could think of, but she just wouldn't try. It was like she lost a piece of herself when Jacob died." She looked back up at me. "I think you gave it back to her."

I nodded my head. "She told me this morning I gave her back a piece of herself she didn't know was missing." She beamed at me upon hearing this. "She also told me about the dream."

"Yeah, I wish I could explain that. I mean, it took her a few days, but she realized the man in the dream was you." Her expression turned serious. "Look, I don't know how to say this, but I just get the feeling you're going to fuck it up."

My eyebrows shot up at the bluntness of her statement. "What?"

"Maybe not deliberately fuck it up, but you're going to hurt her. I don't know. It 's just a feeling I have. I get those a lot, by the way." Her brown eyes bore into mine. "And they're always right."

"So Bella wasn't lying when she said you were intuitive." She nodded her head. "I don't know the future. But right now, there's nothing more I want than to be with Bella." That seemed to pacify her.

_What did she mean, 'You're going to fuck it up'? What was I going to do?_

"Edward?" I heard Bella calling my name.

"Yeah, love?"

She came into the kitchen wearing jeans and a dark green turtleneck sweater, and her hair was still wet. She looked wonderful. "Hi," she breathed.

My face lit up. "Hey, yourself."

"I'm done if you want to get in now." I nodded my head and walked over to her. "I love you," I whispered as I brushed my lips against hers. I couldn't stop saying it.

"I love you, too," she said, before I walked away.

* * *

**Bella**

Edward had just gotten in the shower when Alice came following me into my room. She was bouncing up and down with excitement. "Okay, Alice, just get it out already."

"Oh, my God, Bella! He loves you!" she squealed.

"I know, I know! It's so amazing, Alice!" I was breathless just thinking about it.

"I want details. What happened last night? Did you have a good date? When did he tell you he loved you?" She was spouting off questions so rapidly, my head spun.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Alice! Just sit down and stay calm. I'll tell you everything. And do _not_ interrupt me or I'll stop talking." She acted like she was zipping her lips shut. I told her about his reaction when he first saw me, dinner, dancing, and the words he spoke to me last night. I told her about asking him to stay and falling asleep in his arms. I told her that I woke up to him making me breakfast. "He asked me about Jacob while we were eating. Apparently I was dreaming about him and was talking in my sleep." I blushed. "Anyway, I told him everything, and he just held me in his arms and let me cry it out. And you know what?" She shook her head. "I don't feel that guilt I've been carrying around all this time. It's like I finally let him go." She was grinning widely. "Anyway, then he told me how much he loved me. How he'd dreamed of me before we met and that he'd loved me since the moment he laid eyes on me. He said I was like gravity, pulling him into me." A tear rolled down my cheek at the memory.

"Aww, Bella! That's so romantic!"

"I know! Wait, you don't think we're going too fast, do you?"

"No. Just as long as you don't go to Vegas and get married tomorrow," she said , laughing.

I looked at the clock, it was 9:52. "We'd better get going, we don't want to be late."

We walked back out to the living room and sat down on the couch with Jasper. He was watching a football game. I looked at the screen to see who was playing. "Hey! Edward's brother plays for the Bears!" I said, excitedly.

Jasper looked at me. "Who's his brother?"

"Emmett Cullen."

"You're shitting me!" I looked at him curiously. "He's one of the best defensive linemen out there!"

"Uh, okay." I had no idea what he was talking about.

Just then, Edward came to the living room, his hair still glistening with water, looking like a Greek god. _He loves me._ My heart leaped inside my chest for what felt like the millionth time this morning.

I walked over to Edward and gently kissed his lips while grabbing his hand. "So, Edward, you've already met Alice. And this is her husband, Jasper Whitlock." I said, pointing to Jasper. "Jasper, this is Edward Cullen."

Jasper got up and shook Edward's hand. "It's nice to meet you," Edward said.

"You too, man. Your brother is Emmett freakin' Cullen?" Edward looked over at me and I blushed, mouthing the word 'sorry'.

He ran his free hand through his hair. "Yeah, he is."

"He's the best lineman there is! He could go anywhere! Why'd he pick the Bears?"

"Our family's from Chicago and so is his wife's. It was important for them to stay close to home." He was smiling sincerely at Jasper.

"Oh. That makes sense." They started talking about football. I tuned it out.

"Okay, boys. Enough football talk. Let's go. I've got lots of things planned today once we get to Forks!" Alice interrupted. Leave it to Alice to plan the entire day. For someone so small, she had an awful lot of energy.

We all got in Jasper's Mercedes SUV. Edward and I sat in the back, holding each other's hands. I laid my head on his shoulder and watched out the window as we drove out of Seattle, listening to the radio in silence. That lasted exactly one hour.

"Okay, guys! Let's play a game!" Alice exclaimed. Jasper and I groaned collectively while Edward looked startled. "Um...how about Twenty Questions?"

"Sure," we all said together. It wasn't like we were going to get a choice in the matter.

"Okay, Edward, here are the rules. Since you're the newbie in our group, you have to answer first each round. No dodging the questions. And you must answer truthfully. You don't have to ask the questions this time, since you've never played with us. 'Kay?"

"Got it." He looked down and grinned at me.

"All right, I'll start." She cleared her throat. "Where are you from?"

"Chicago," Edward said.

"Forks," I said.

"Houston," Jasper said.

"Forks," Alice said. "Okay, next question."

"Um, okay. Let's see...what's your middle name?" I said.

"Anthony," Edward said.

"Marie," I said.

"Thomas," Jasper said.

"Alice," Alice chirped. She looked back at Edward, who had a puzzled expression on his face. "My first name is actually Mary but if you call me that, I'll cut off your balls and stuff them down your throat," she said, smiling sweetly. Edward nodded and gulped.

"Number three. Who's your best friend?" Jasper asked.

"Um, my brother, Emmett," Edward answered.

"Alice," I said.

"Bella," Jasper said.

"Bells," Alice said.

"Ooh, I'm so popular," I said, laughing.

"Okay, my turn! Number four. Who with, when, and where was your first time?" Alice asked.

"In my dorm room at Harvard, sophomore year. Her name was Dana," Edward said, laughing. I looked at him, wondering what was so funny. "It was awful," he said, laughing harder.

I couldn't help but laugh with him. "At least it was memorable. Okay, my answer. Not applicable." Edward raised his eyebrows. "I told you had no experience." I shrugged.

"Behind a barn at my friend Peter's, during one of his parties junior year of high school with Missy." Everyone started laughing.

"You redneck!" Alice said laughing as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Okay, with Dane, in my bed at my parents' house in Forks, senior year of high school."

"Okay, number five. Favorite hobby." I said.

"Playing the piano," Edward said.

"You play the piano?" _No wonder he could move his fingers like that_. The thought made me blush.

"Yeah, since I was five." He looked me over. "You're blushing," he said smiling. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing. I'll, um, tell you later." I cleared my throat. "So, um, my answer. Reading." _Let it go, please._ After looking at me curiously for a moment, he did.

"Fighting," Jasper said. He looked at Edward's confused expression in the rearview mirror. "I've practiced martial arts all my life."

"Really? What kind?" Edward asked him.

"Mostly Jujutsu, but I've got some practice in Judo, Muay Thai, Fencing, and Eskrima.

"Don't be modest, Jazz. He fought competitively in high school and college. We have a whole room dedicated to his trophies and awards." Alice looked at him lovingly.

"Yeah. So, um, don't hurt Bella or I'll have to kill you." He was joking, but the look in his eye was serious.

"Jazz!" I reached over and slapped his shoulder. "Excuse my friend here. He tends to take his role and my pseudo-brother a little too seriously sometimes." I looked at Edward, who still looked like he was wondering if Jasper would do it.

"Okay, guys. That's enough. My turn to answer. Shopping!" Alice trilled.

It continued like that until we were over half way to Forks. "Number nineteen. Longest most, most serious relationship to date," Jasper asked.

"Bella," Edward answered. Alice looked at him skeptically. "I'm being honest. I didn't date. Fooled around, yes. Date, no."

"Wow. Why the hell not? You're gorgeous!" Alice said, receiving a sideways glare from Jasper.

"I was too busy trying to be a doctor," he said with a grin.

"Huh. Okay." She was still confused. Hell, so was I, and I'd known it for a few days now.

"Okay. My turn to answer," I interrupted. "Edward." Everyone nodded, not surprised.

"Alice," Jasper said.

"Jazz," Alice said. "Okay, question twenty. Full name of first love and how old you were."

"Bella Swan, age thirty," Edward said, wrapping his arm around me. Then he started laughing. "God, I am the walking definition of geek." We all laughed at him.

"Aw, I don't think you're a geek, baby." I was giggling.

"Thank you, love." He kissed the end of my nose.

"You're welcome. All right, my turn. Jacob Black, age seventeen," I replied, happy my voice didn't break and I didn't feel like crying.

"Amy Johnson, age five," Jasper said laughing. "Gotta love a kindergarten romance."

"Tommy Grant, age thirteen," Alice said.

With the game over, Alice tuned up the radio. Edward held me tighter against his chest and moved his mouth to my ear. "I really like your friends."

I looked up at him. "Thank you. You don't know how happy that makes me." I leaned into him and closed my eyes.

* * *

**Edward**

We pulled into a small, gravel driveway and I saw a police cruiser parked in front of us. I looked to the house where Bella lived with her father. It was small and white, with a covered front stoop. A large tree stood in the front yard. It wasn't much, but since it was a part of Bella's life, I couldn't find any fault with it if I tried.

I looked down to see Bella still sleeping in my arms. "You'd better wake her up before Chief Swan sees us out here. I don't think she told him she was bringing you," Jasper said, as he and Alice got out and walked to the back.

He opened the hatch and Alice started grabbing bags and handing them to him. "What do you mean?" _Should I not have come?_

"He means nothing, Edward. Just being an idiot. Charlie will love you," Alice said as she playfully smacked Jasper's shoulder.

I looked back at Bella. "Wake up, love. We're here," I said, stroking her hair.

She yawned and stretched before she slowly sat up. "How long was I asleep?" she asked sheepishly.

"About an hour." We got out of the car and I held her hand as we made our way to the front door with Alice and Jasper. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I was sweating bullets.

Bella knocked on the door before opening it, never letting go of my hand. "Dad? We're here!" she called as she led us into the house. We walked into a small living room. A staircase was directly in front of us. The living room held a small TV, a plaid couch, and a recliner.

"I'm in here, Bella!" he called from what I assumed was the kitchen.

We walked through the living room and into the kitchen to see Charlie standing at the table, cleaning fish.

"Ew, Dad! Couldn't you have done that outside?" Bella asked, her nose scrunching up in disgust. It was adorable.

"Hey, Bells!" he exclaimed as he turned around. He looked over at Alice. "Hey, Alice!"

Alice flitted over and gave Charlie a peck on the cheek. "Hey, Charlie! How're you?"

He grinned at her. "I'm just fine now, Alice. How are you?"

"I'm good." She went to start unloading some of the bags Jasper had brought in before going back for the rest.

Charlie turned back to where Bella and I were standing. "Dad, there's someone I want you to meet. This is Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my father, Charlie." She looked at us expectantly.

"Hello, Chief Swan. It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, extending my hand.

"Hello, Edward. I must say I'm surprised to see you. I didn't know Bella was bringing anyone besides Jasper and Alice." He shook my hand. I was thankful his hand didn't have fish guts all over it.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't ask Edward to come until last night." Bella was looking at her father hopefully.

"I see. So," he said turning his attention back to me. "Are you dating my daughter?"

"Yes, I am." I said, clearing my throat. It was suddenly dry.

"Uh-huh. Well, Edward. What is it exactly you do?" He was eyeing me warily. I could tell no one was good enough for his daughter.

_This must have been what Jasper was trying to say._

"I'm an ER doctor, sir." His eyes widened with surprise.

"Really? Well, that's...that's great." He turned back to the fish. "I hope you don't mind, but I invited the Clearwater's and, uh...uh... Billy to join us."

"No, that's great, Dad! I haven't seen Billy since...well, since the funeral I guess." I expected her to get sad again, but she just looked thoughtful. "It would be nice to see him again."

Charlie spun around and looked at her in surprise. "You sure?"

"Yeah, Dad. Why?" She looked completely baffled by his response.

"Well, I figured I'd get an earful about it. You haven't wanted to be around anything that reminded you of...of..." He was moving his hands around trying to figure out how to say Jacob's name.

"Jacob." He froze when she said his name and just looked at her. "It's okay, Dad. Honestly." Charlie looked at me in wonder before she continued. "So anyway, you said you invited the Clearwater's?"

He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. I did."

"That's great. Edward's friends with Seth." She leaned into me, grabbing my arm.

"Oh, really?" He went back to cleaning the fish. "How'd you meet Seth?"

"We go to the same gym and we get together to play basketball every few days." He didn't get a chance to respond because Jasper came in with the rest of the stuff Alice had brought.

"Well, this is the last of it. I swear, Alice, you bring more and more crap with you every time we come." Jasper looked at his wife warmly as he said this. "Hey, Charlie. How's it going?"

"Good. Hey, grab yourselves a beer. I'll be just a few more minutes."

Jasper walked to the fridge and grabbed us all a beer. He opened them before giving them to us and went to the living room to give Alice hers. Bella took my hand as we followed him.

"So," Alice said to Bella as we sat on the couch, "What are you going to dress up as for my Halloween party Friday night?"

"Aw, Alice! I'm not dressing up! I already told you!" I chuckled to myself.

"Yes, you are." She looked at me. "Edward, are you coming?"

I looked at Bella before answering. "Well, Alice, considering I hadn't been invited yet, I don't know."

"I was going to try to just stay home and do something with you," Bella said, smiling.

"No, you two are coming. End of discussion." I took it Alice was not into negotiating.

"C'mon, love. It'll be great. We can dress up as..." _Think Edward!_ "Um, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn."

"What are you going to do? Hire someone to pose as an executioner to follow me around with an axe?" she asked, laughing.

"Hmm...what about Romeo and Juliet?" Alice asked.

"No, too cliché," she said, scrunching up her nose. I really loved seeing her do that.

Alice chimed in. "Um, what about Sid and Nancy?" _No._

"No!" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, love, how about Adam and Eve." _I don't know why I said that._

"Are you serious?" she asked me.

"Well, yeah. I mean, she was literally made for him. She was a part of him. That's how I feel about you." _Did I just say that out loud?_

"Aw, Bella, that's so sweet! You have to do it. I'll make your costumes!" Alice was more excited about dressing us up than the fact we were going to attend.

"Well...okay, I guess." She turned to me. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. I'd love to do something like that with you." I shrugged my shoulders before she kissed me lightly on the lips.

"Just think, Bells, you won't have some puffy dress to trip over and Alice can't make you wear heels." Jasper said as he took a pull of his beer.

"You're right! Since apparently I have to dress up, might as well not try to kill myself over it." I didn't think it had dawned on Bella yet that she would be wearing next to nothing Friday. But I would be keeping that thought to myself. I didn't want to ruin the chance of getting seeing it.

"Okay, guys. I'm done with the fish." Charlie walked into the living room, wiping his hands on a towel.

"We'd better get started so we can have everything done by the time everyone gets here." Alice said. Bella hopped up and headed into the kitchen with her, leaving me with Jasper and Charlie.

"Who's playing today, Charlie?" Jasper broke the silence.

"Well, the Bears were playing the Steelers earlier but I missed it. I think they're showing it again on ESPN2."

"I want to watch it, if you don't mind, Chief Swan."

"No, not at all Edward. You a Bears or Steelers fan?" He turned the channel.

"Bears."

He looked at me incredulously. "You actually _like_ the Bears?" Jasper was laughing.

I shrugged. "Well, I am from Chicago."

"Oh."

"Don't be so modest, Edward." Jasper was still laughing. "Charlie, Edward's brother plays for the Bears."

"What? You're kidding me!" I shook my head. "Who's your brother? Wait, your last name is Cullen. Your brother's not Emmett Cullen, is it?"

"Yeah, it is." I was very proud of my brother but I usually tried to keep his identity to myself. Otherwise, I was constantly fielding requests for autographs.

"Wow. I guess your parents are proud of you guys, huh? I mean, one son is a doctor and the other is one of the best football players in the country."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "Yeah, they are."

I didn't know how to explain it, but I felt like I was a part of this little 'family' of Bella's already.


	9. Chapter 9

**LEMONS...**

* * *

Chapter 9

**Bella**

Edward and I had barely gotten to see each other all week. He was working nights, even trading shifts with two of the other doctors, so that he could have the weekend off to be with me. He met me for lunch every day, which usually ended up being something we grabbed from a drive-thru. We didn't seem to have much time to eat since we couldn't take our hands off each other. We'd finish our food and then fooled around in his car like a couple of teenagers. It was fantastic. Even with that and the fact that he called me every night on his break, I still missed him.

Tonight was the night of Alice's Halloween party. The plan was that Edward would meet me at my apartment before we went to Alice and Jasper's to get ready. I was going to stay with Edward this weekend and in all honesty, I was nervous as hell.

I arrived at my apartment and grabbed the mail out of the box before throwing it on the counter and taking a quick shower. I threw on some sweats and a long sleeved t-shirt and just combed my hair. I knew Alice would be dressing me from head to foot tonight.

I had just managed to get my things packed for Edward's and was getting ready to read the mail when I heard a knock on my door. I looked at the clock, it was 6:30. Edward was here!

I threw the mail in my duffle bag, deciding I'd get to it this weekend. I zipped it shut, threw it over my shoulder and ran to the door. I opened the door to see Edward, dripping with the rain that had soaked him, and threw my arms around him. "God, I missed you!"

He chuckled lightly in my ear. "Well, hello to you, too." He inhaled deeply and hummed. "I've missed you, too."

I pulled back to get a look at his perfect face. His eyes were dark with emotion. "What are you thinking?"

"I was just thinking that I can't wait for this party to be over so that I can have you to myself for two whole days, no interruptions." He grinned my favorite smile.

"Hmm, me too. How long do we have to stay again?"

"I would say till at least midnight, then we should be safe." He leaned down and kissed me so passionately my toes curled. "I've been wanting to do that all day," he said as he nuzzled my neck. I felt myself melt against him, holding him tighter to me. He chuckled lightly. "As much as I would love to stay with you like this, we'd better get going. Alice will kill me if I don't get you there on time."

It was amazing how in tune he was with my friends and family after only spending one day with them. It was like he'd known them all his life. I looked up at him and noticed he had a smug look on his face.

_What's that about?_

"Yes, I'd hate for you incur the wrath of Alice just for me. I'm really not worth it," I said, jokingly as we walked to his car.

He pulled me against him tightly and kissed my forehead. "I would walk through a thousand fires, suffer a hundred deaths, go to the deepest pits of Hell and back, if it meant coming back to you." Even though he was laughing lightly as he said it, his words rang true.

"If that's true, Alice should be a cake walk."

He laughed at me as he opened my door. "It is true, love." He walked to the driver's side and got in. "Though I'm sure the pixie would make my life a nightmare." He shuddered dramatically and I laughed.

We arrived at Alice and Jasper's at 7:01. Alice came bounding out of the house just as we shut the car doors. She was dressed as Tinkerbell. How fitting. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm surprised she'd never done it until now.

"Finally!" she yelled at us.

I couldn't help but laugh. "What do you mean, 'finally'? We're only a minute late!"

"Bella! The party starts in an hour! I have to make you beautiful!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house, Edward trailing behind us. "Edward, your costume is in the guest bathroom upstairs. Go up the stairs, take a left. It's the first door on the right." Edward nodded and began ascending the stairs. "Oh! I almost forgot! There's a robe up there on the bed for you in case you get cold."

There was a strange thud of foreboding in my stomach. _What did she mean,' get cold'?_

Alice led me to the master suite and sat me on a stool in her bathroom. Her double sink was covered with cosmetics, hair products, and lotions. You name it, it was there.

"Jeez, Alice. What is all this?"

"I'm not going to need all of it, Bella. I just got it all out to be on the safe side. I'm in kind of a hurry. You didn't leave me much time."

"Okay, sorry?" I wasn't sure if I should apologize or not, but it seemed to mollify her.

She began working on my hair, putting some sort of goop in it before pulling it into sections and taking a large curling iron to it. When she finished with each curl, she sprayed it before pinning it to my head to cool. She finished with that and began working on my makeup. She left my face bare, adding some cream blush to the apples of my cheeks. She dusted a nude colored eye shadow across my lids that left them shimmering, adding white shadow to my brow bones before finishing it with mascara. She then stained my lips a deep pink, almost the color of raspberries.

She then took down my hair, using her fingers to separate the curls before spraying it again. "Okay, you're done."

I looked in the mirror and gasped. I looked amazing. "Alice, this is great!"

"Thank you. Now, strip."

"What?" Surely I didn't hear her right.

"Bella, stop being such a prude. I need you in nothing but your cute little undies so I can put this bronzer on you. " She saw the look of horror on my face. "It won't change your skin color, just make you glow." She held up her fingers. "Scout's honor."

"Oh, all right." I took my clothes off, wearing nothing but my bra and panties and she rubbed the lotion all over my body.

"Perfect. Now, let's go get your costume on." We went back into her bedroom and she led me to the closet.

She pulled out two tiny pieces of fabric and gave them to me. "Uh, where's the rest?"

"What do mean 'the rest'? This is it!"

I looked back down and saw that she had made a nude bikini with plastic leaves sewn in strategic places. My face grew hot and I broke into a cold sweat. "I can't wear this!"

"Why not? You're Eve. Eve didn't wear anything but fig leaves." I looked at her blankly. For some reason, I still didn't get it. It was like my mind had stopped working. "Edward's wearing the same thing," she said mischievously.

I thought about it and cocked an eyebrow. This was true. Just thinking about it made the saliva pool in my mouth. "Wait, you said Edward had a robe to put on in case he got cold." I looked around. "Where's mine?"

"Uh-uh. You don't get a robe. I gave Edward the option because I knew he wouldn't use it. You, on the other hand, would cover yourself up the entire night. No robe for you."

I pouted. "But, what if I get cold?"

"Edward can keep you warm. Now get dressed. I have to go see if Jasper's ready yet." She walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

I exhaled sharply. _Stupid, stupid Bella! Why didn't you think of this when you agreed to it!_ I froze in mid-thought. It was Edward's idea. He knew all along. _That was what the smug look on his face was about earlier!_ He was going to get it!

I reluctantly put on the bikini and looked in the mirror. Well, I did look like the depiction of Eve in all the paintings I'd seen. _Thank God I shaved._

I nervously walked out of the bedroom to find everyone. Jasper came around the corner and stopped. He was dressed as a Confederate soldier. He ran his eyes up and down my body before slapping his hand across them. "Jesus, Bella! Where are your clothes?"

"This is it. You can thank your wonderful wife for this later," I said sarcastically.

"I'm going to have to follow you all night and make sure no one tries to hit on you!" Always the big brother.

I laughed and started to say something back, but was interrupted by Edward's voice. "No, you won't. That's my job now." He smiled and winked at Jasper.

"True. Good luck with that," Jasper said laughing as he walked away.

I looked at Edward, truly looked at Edward and gasped. He was wearing these nude spandex shorts with fig leaves sewn on the front and nothing else. I took in his gorgeous six-pack, my eyes trailing down to the sharp indent of his hip bones. He had a patch of bronze hair that trailed from his belly button down below the waistband of his shorts. His hair was tousled to perfection, as usual. His green eyes burned with fire as he looked at me.

_Mine,_ I thought greedily. I licked my lips in anticipation. _What's gotten in to me?_ I walked over to him and moved my hand down his stomach, making him shiver. Suddenly, I couldn't wait for this weekend.

* * *

**Edward**

I saw her standing there with Jasper and my heart stopped. Her beauty was astonishing. Her costume left little to the imagination. Her ethereal body glistened in the light, her hair was in waves, cascading over her shoulders down past her breasts. I had never seen anything more beautiful in all my life. She was like a pagan goddess. My breath caught as she walked towards me. She gently rubbed her hand down my stomach, causing me to shiver with desire. I had never wanted anyone more than Isabella Swan at that very moment. I knew I never would.

I exhaled and wrapped her in my arms. "Bella," I whispered in her ear. "You look phenomenal." I place a light kiss at the hollow of her neck, just below the ear, causing her breath to become shaky.

"You are in big trouble," she said playfully.

I looked at her inquisitively. "Am I?" I said, just as playful.

"Oh, yes. Just look at what you've gotten me in to. Or should I say, not gotten me in to. Tell me, was this your plan all along, Dr. Cullen?" She was so seductive, I was getting hard just listening to her.

I chuckled softly. "No, but I must say it is a wonderful perk."

I leaned in with the intention of kissing her softly, but when my lips met hers, fire erupted between us. The kiss became rough, passionate. Her hand moved into my hair and tugged, causing me to moan. I picked her up and slammed her against the wall, assaulting her mouth and neck with kisses. It suddenly dawned on me someone could walk down the hall at any time.

Bella seemed to be reading my thoughts. "Bedroom?" she asked, breathlessly. I carried her into the bedroom, making sure the door was locked behind us. I wasn't sure what would happen, but I wanted no interruptions.

Her legs were still locked around my waist as I pushed her against the wall again. My mouth found hers again, moving eagerly with hers. I broke away, gasping for air and moved down her throat. My hands moved to her breasts, moving the bikini top out of the way. Her breasts fit perfectly in my hands and I found that it wasn't enough. I bent my knees and moved my mouth to her nipple, sucking furiously, before my teeth nipped. A low moan escaped her throat and I felt myself getting harder with the sound.

My hands grabbed her ass, and I laid her on the floor. The bed was just too far. My mouth immediately went back to those gorgeous breasts and my hand moved down to her bottoms, tugging them gently aside. I caressed the skin of her inner thigh, and she shuddered. My hand moved to her mound, my thumb tracing along her slit, causing her to gasp. I slowly moved my middle finger into her and felt how hot and wet she already was.

"Jesus, Bella," I mumbled against her soft breast. I slipped my index finger in with my middle finger and pumped in and out gently, while my thumb gently rubbed her clit.

Suddenly, I felt the muscles in her body tighten as her walls clamped on my fingers. "Edward," she cried my name, making me growl. I loved the way it sounded.

I felt her body writhe and twitch as the waves of her orgasm rolled over her. But it wasn't enough. I needed her to do it again.

I pulled her bottoms down and pushed her legs apart, my mouth trailing kisses up her inner thigh. I licked the skin on the inner-most part of her thigh, and she gasped.

"Is this okay, love?" I asked looking up at her. She was still breathless and could only nod.

I smiled and moved to run my tongue up her slit and flicked her clit with it. "Fuck, you taste good, Bella." I was shocked at what came out of my mouth.

She whimpered as I put my fingers back in her and searched for her spot. As I moved inside her, I felt her hips jerk up. _Found it. _ I rubbed circles with my fingers while my tongue continued to work her clit.

Before I knew it, her walls tightened on my fingers and she arched her back beautifully just before she came for me again.

I wanted more, much more, but not here. Not now. It wasn't good enough for my Bella. I looked at her from in between her legs. "I want to make love to you, Bella." Her eyes widened and a small smile crossed her face. "But not here. I want it to be perfect."

Her smile widened. "I want you to make love to me, Edward."

I sat up with what I knew was a cocky grin on my face. "Now, I need to go splash some cold water on my face before we go out there." Her brows knit in confusion. "I can't go out there like this, love." I said, laughing. "I'm flustered and _very _indecent."

She sat up slowly and looked me over. Her eyes darkened and she licked her lips. She moved over to me and placed her hands on my chest, pushing me down to the floor. "You don't have to," she said as she cocked an eyebrow.

She kissed me, trailing her tongue across my lips before she moved her mouth down my body. She got to my belly button and stopped, pulling the waistband of my shorts down a little before she began licking her way up my happy trail. "I wanted to do this as soon as I saw you tonight." My dick got even harder just listening to her. She placed chaste kisses on my stomach as her hands moved the waistband of my shorts further down my hips. "I want these off of you." I raised my hips in compliance and she pushed my shorts to my knees.

She gently grabbed my shaft and began slowly pumping it. God, she was such a quick learner. She tightened her grip and began lowering her head. "Bella, you don't have to do this."

Her mouth was just above my dick. "But I want to." I could feel her hot breath on my tip before she licked the moisture that had collected on it. The feel of her hot tongue was almost more than I could take.

She took my dick in her mouth, slowly moving up and down in motion with her hand. Her mouth took in more of me each time she moved down. She was amazing. She was _mine._ She alternated from using her hand and her mouth together and taking me all the way in. I could feel my orgasm uncoiling and knew I was close. Her teeth grazed on my shaft and I came undone, grinding out obscenities from in between my teeth. I couldn't even focus on warning her to move or pushing her away.

She hummed in response and that was all it took. I released in her mouth as she kept working me. She sat up, pushing the hair away from her face, and I saw her swallow.

She licked her lips and grinned. "_Now _you can go out there." 

I pulled her to me and kissed her deeply. "Are you sure you've never done that before? Because that was fucking insane."

She giggled and nodded. "Yes. I love you."

"As I you."

We got dressed and made our way to the bathroom, checking ourselves over in the mirror.

"Be serious," Bella said, fixing her lipstick. "Is the back of my hair okay? Alice will kill me if I messed it up."

"Yes, it looks the same as it did before I threw you on the floor. Listen, Bella. I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have done that. You deserve better than to be tossed on the floor-"

"And completely ravished?" she asked, interrupting me.

"Well, yeah, I guess. I don't know what came over me. I should have warned you or something in case you didn't want it in your mouth," I told her regretfully.

"Don't apologize. It was unbelievable. Feel free to ravish me any time you like," she said winking.

My whole face dropped in shock. _Who was this woman?_ "But...but I figured you'd want to take it slow, and I didn't." I wasn't really sure I could.

"No. I'm ready. I've been ready actually. It surprised the hell out of me. Things seem to be going at an extremely fast pace with us." She was laughing.

"Well...if you're sure..."

"I'm sure. Now, let's go out there before Alice hunts us down and kills us," she said, dragging me behind her. Apparently the discussion was over.

* * *

**Bella**

Of, course, the party was fantastic. Anything Alice did was never half way. She wouldn't let us leave until after 2am. We finally managed to get dressed and get out of the house after thirty minutes of arguing with Alice. I was so exhausted, I fell asleep in the car on the way to Edward's house.

"Bella? Bella, we're here. " I groaned as he pulled me into his arms.

He started to walk to the house and my eyes widened in shock. "This is your house!" I struggled to get out of his arms. I was wide awake now.

"Yeah?" He made it sound like a question he was so confused. He put me down.

"Edward. This is not a house. This is a freaking mansion!" I was trying to take it all in at once.

We had pulled into the circular drive and parked in front. The yard was beautifully landscaped and meticulously maintained. It was lit up so that I could see every detail of the house even in the middle of the night. It was creamy white, with dark decorative timbering. The massive porch was stone and had the biggest front door I had ever seen.

"Well, I uh..." He was running his hands through his hair with a worried look on his face.

"It looks like a cottage," I said dreamily.

The look on his face turned to amusement. "It's French Normandy, actually. I take it you like it?"

"It's wonderful!" I turned back to him. "Just how rich are you, anyways?"

He laughed nervously. "I get by."

"I'll say. Can I see the inside now?"

He smiled and literally swept me off my feet. "Only if I get to carry you over the threshold."

Since I was saved the embarrassment from this move being done in public, I nuzzled into his neck. "But we're not married. I thought that only applied to newlyweds."

"Minor detail," he said, as we walked to the front door. He braced me on his knee as he unlocked the door. "Well, here we are."

We walked into the house and I gasped. My dream didn't even come close to reality. We stood in a large foyer. It had the creamy, khaki colored walls and dark, polished hardwood floors from my dream. There was a large chandelier hanging down from the ceiling and a huge staircase that led to the upper floor.

"Set me down, I want to see," I said in wonder.

I walked through the doorway to the right and found myself in a beautiful, formal dining room. It had a large cherry table that seemed to never end and sat on a Persian rug. The walls were a darker version of khaki accented by deep, dark browns. I turned and walked through the dining room into the largest kitchen I'd ever seen. The entire kitchen was cream, from the cabinets to the floors. There was a door that led to a deck outside. I stepped outside and found myself looking over the Puget Sound, lit by the moon.

"It's beautiful," I breathed.

Edward walked up and wrapped his arms around me. "Not as beautiful as you, love."

I turned to face him. "Hmm...I don't know about all that," I said teasingly before I laid a soft kiss on his lips. "Time to see the rest of the house now."

He unwound his arms from my waist and followed me back into the house. I walked inside and turned the opposite way I came. I started through the doorway to the next room and froze.

"Bella, what's the matter?" Edward asked worriedly from behind me.

I felt the tears run down my face. "Edward, this is it. This is the room from my dream." I couldn't believe it. It was exactly like I had dreamed from the layout of the brown leather furniture to the color of the walls and the dark hardwood floors. Even the piano was in exactly the right spot, sitting in front of the large picture windows I'd seen from outside. "How is this possible?" I whispered.

"I don't know. It doesn't make any sense," he said quietly as he pulled me into his arms. "Come, sit down." He led me to the couch that was on the opposite wall as the fireplace.

Instead of sitting, I stumbled and fell onto the couch. I sighed in exasperation and just laid down.

"Can I join you?" he asked, with a smirk on his face. I nodded and he laid down gently beside me. "You don't know how happy it makes me to see you here, in this house." He was gazing at me intently, his eyes burning with emotion. "I love you, Isabella."

Hearing my name on his lips like that took my breath away. He leaned in a kissed me, gently, but with such feeling behind it, I suddenly wanted more. My hands moved to his hair, fisting it into knots around my fingers and pulled him closer to me.

He gasped, breaking the kiss. "Bella, you don't know what that does to me," he growled.

"Show me," I said quietly, afraid of his response.

He looked at me questioningly before crushing his lips to mine. In a movement so fast, he had pulled my shirt over my head and threw it to the floor. He pulled the strap of my bra down off my shoulder and cupped my breast, massaging it before he caught my nipple with his fingers and tugged gently. I arched my back and gasped at the sensation.

He moved his other hand around my back and flicked the clasp of my bra off in one swift movement. He slowly pulled my bra off, his eyes never leaving my chest. "Lovely," he murmured, before he brought his mouth to my nipple, licking and sucking it before he bit down on it lightly.

I thought I would explode, I needed him so badly. My hand fumbled to his shirt, struggling with the buttons before I finally gave up and ripped it open, hearing the buttons scatter to the floor.

"Sorry," I mumbled unapologetically as I threw it to the floor.

He just smirked as he moved his body down and tugged my sweats down. Once I'd kicked them off to the floor, he started kissing trails down my stomach while his hands were busy with my breasts again. Once he got to my lace panties, he grabbed the waistband with his teeth and tugged. I shuddered and he used his hands to help get them down. He looked at my naked body and I immediately went to cover it up.

"Don't hide, Bella. You're so beautiful. I want to see every inch of you." He assaulted my mouth with kisses again as he moved his hand to my center and hissed.

He slid two fingers inside of me and started moving them around while he applied pressure to my clit. He knew exactly what I liked. My body immediately responded, intense waves of pleasure rolling through me.

"You...have...too...many...clothes...on," I breathed in between kisses. I needed this man like nothing I'd ever felt before. I thought I'd go mad if I didn't have him soon.

I unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and pushed his them and his boxers past his ass, moving my feet up to the waistband and using my toes to get them the rest of the way down. His chuckle turned into another hiss as I grabbed his shaft and began stroking it.

He bit his lip and groaned as I continued, gradually increasing the pressure, before he moved away from me and began kissing up my inner thighs. He licked up my slit and I felt myself shudder.

"I'm not finished with you yet," he said as his tongue ran circles over my clit before moving down and pushing his tongue in and out of me.

"Edward," I breathed. It felt incredible.

He put his fingers back inside me and started pumping gently in and out while his tongue continued to circle on my clit. Suddenly, he sucked on it, and my hips bucked up towards him. "Come for me, again," he murmured. "Please."

That was all I needed for me to fall off that wondrous cliff again. "Edward," I gasped. "I need you. Now."

He pulled himself up, looking a little shocked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, please, yes."

"Not here." He grabbed me in his arms and lifted me off the couch, carrying me into the master bedroom. I was too distracted to see anything but the massive four poster bed that stood in the middle of the room.

He put me down and reached into the drawer of one of the nightstands, pulling out a condom. "When did you get those?"

He grinned sheepishly. "When you agreed to spend the weekend with me." He unwrapped the condom and unrolled it onto his dick, before moving himself to my entrance. "Bella." He was looking at me intensely. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He slowly pushed himself into me, and I felt my body expand and stretch with his length. He pushed even further and my barrier broke. I gasped--it hurt--but felt amazing at the same time.

"Are you all right, love?" I could see the worry on his face. "I'm so sorry. Just relax."

"I'm okay. Don't stop."

He began moving in and out of me, in slow tortuous movements. "God, Bella, you feel so good."

Something about the way he felt inside me was even better than I could have imagined. I explored the feeling, moving my hips to meet his and quickly realized, that was all I needed. I came.

"Jesus, Bella! Already?" he asked in shock.

I could only moan in response. It was like an outer body experience.

His thrusts got faster and harder as he continued to make love to me. He took my thighs in his hands and pushed them back, making him go even deeper inside me.

He grunted. "Bella, I'm coming." I felt his dick pulse inside of me as his movements became erratic before he finally stilled and nearly collapsed on top of me.

We laid like that for a few minutes before Edward pulled out and threw the condom on the floor. "I'll get it tomorrow," he mumbled as he pulled the covers down and pulled me into his arms. "I love you," he whispered sleepily. "This meant more to me than you could ever know."

I warmed with his words. "I love you, too."


	10. Chapter 10

It's a little lemony at first...enjoy! ;)

* * *

Chapter 10

**Edward**

I woke up and looked around the room--the lights were still on. I chuckled softly to myself. _Couldn't even turn off the light._

I looked at the clock and read the time. It was just after seven. Bella had moved herself away from me sometime in the middle of the night. I looked over at her to see the covers down by her waist, her naked breasts on display. Her hair was splayed out on the pillow, and her pretty, plump mouth was slightly open. Her arm was resting on the pillow beside her head.

She'd given me a part of herself that she'd never given anyone else, and it made me love her even more. She was in every way mine, and even though I wondered briefly if I'd let her make the decision a little too rashly, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to stay away from her. Being with her like this was too wonderful.

I reached over and softly stroked her face, moving my hand down her neck to her breasts while I grabbed another condom out of the box. I wanted desperately not to use them, to be able to feel all of Bella when I made love to her, but things had progressed so quickly between us, I knew the last thing we needed was an unplanned pregnancy, complicating things further.

Instead of lingering there at her breasts like I wanted, I moved my hand down her stomach, stopping at the lowest part of it and tracing circles with my fingers before I slowly retraced my steps, making my way back up her body. I repeated this a couple of times, my eyes never leaving my hand, before I looked back at her face. Her eyes were open and she was looking at my face intently.

"Good morning, beautiful."

She smiled sleepily. "Good morning."

I leaned down and kissed her jaw before I opened my mouth and licked a trail to her ear. My hand was still repeating the same pattern over her body, but this time, I drew lazy circles around her nipple before making my way down her stomach. I could feel her body shiver with my touch as I traced patterns over her hip bones. I moved my hand further down her body, my fingers slowly trailing down her slit.

Her eyes never left mine. I ripped the condom open with my teeth and rolled it on with one hand. My other hand was too busy at the moment to be bothered. I pulled her knee up and positioned myself over Bella before I slowly entered her. She felt so good around me, I struggled not to lose control and just fuck her senseless. I moved in and out of her slowly, going deeper each time, my eyes never leaving that perfect face.

She bit her lip and knit her brows. "Edward, you're driving me crazy," she whispered breathlessly. "Go faster."

"No." It was all I could do not to go faster, but I wanted to feel her writhe and twitch in anticipation.

I grabbed her hips and shifted her body so I could go even deeper inside her. "Edward," she moaned. I would never tire of hearing my name on her lips.

I could feel every part of her begin its ascent toward that sweet release. I pushed into her slowly, but with more force. "Say it again, Bella."

"Edward," she moaned again, this time louder. Her back arched and she was moving her hips under me. She was so close.

"Again." I grabbed her thighs and pushed her knees toward the bed, allowing myself to go even deeper.

"Edward!" she cried, as her walls pulsed around my dick. She felt so good I almost came right then. But I wasn't finished with her.

"You want me to go faster, love?" I growled in her ear.

"God, yes."

I flipped her over on her knees and grabbed her ass and pulled her back to me. It was so round, so perfect, I had the urge to spank her, but I wasn't sure how she'd respond.

I thrusted forcefully into her, making her gasp. I smiled. "You like that?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Harder, Edward."

I slammed my hips into her, grinding them upwards as her body met mine. I reached down and flicked her clit with my thumb. I felt her whole body twitch as I did it.

I did it again and again, in time with each thrust and felt her body tighten around me again. I wasn't going to be able to hold out any longer. With a final thrust, we were sent into a blissful, orgasmic haze together.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep again after I collapsed on top of her. I glanced at the clock on my way to the bathroom. It was after ten. I turned on the shower and brushed my teeth as the water heated up. I stepped in under the stream, letting the water pound my head. My head was swimming with thoughts of last night. I couldn't imagine what I could have done to have deserved to have her--to be this lucky. She had no experience, but it didn't seem that way. The way we connected made it seem like we'd known each other so much longer and knew everything about one another.

I got out of the shower and got dressed. I tiptoed quietly through the bedroom, trying not to wake Bella, and went to the kitchen to make her blueberry pancakes and sausage. I was going to spoil her while she was here.

The sausage was sizzling, and I was whisking the pancake batter when I saw Bella walk into the kitchen. She was wearing a short, silk slate blue robe and nothing else. Her hair was still dripping down her back from her shower. I dropped the whisk, making her giggle.

"You have no idea how much I like the color blue with your skin." I walked over to her and kissed her gently. "How are you this morning?"

She looked up at me and smiled. "A little sore." I instantly felt horrible for waking her up like I did this morning. I should have given her more time to recuperate.

My thoughts must have been clear on my face. "But in a good way," she hurried. She ran her finger down my chest, looking up at me from behind her lashes. "I love knowing it was you who made me feel this way."

I leaned down to kiss her and saw her eyes were full of lust. "Ready again so soon, love?" She blushed and looked away.

I hesitated for a moment, making sure she was really all right, before I pulled her face back to mine and kissed her, moving my hands to her thighs. My fingers played with the hem of her robe before I slipped them under and worked my way up to her hips. I was just about to pick her up and set her on the counter, food be damned, when her stomach growled.

I broke away laughing. "Apparently, your stomach has other plans." She pursed her lips. "Let's get you something to eat. We have the rest of the weekend for this." Well, the rest of forever, but that sounded a little too corny for a first weekend together.

"True." She was such a paradox. Smirking at me confidently while her cheeks reddened at the same time.

I turned the sausages and poured the batter on the griddle. I was just about to offer Bella some coffee when my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID before I mouthed 'Seth' to Bella. She smiled.

"Hey, Seth! How's it going?"

"It's good. How'd the party with Bella go?" I had told him a few days ago that my Bella was actually Bella Swan, which made him extremely excited. It doesn't take much.

"Great. Still going actually." I looked at her and smiled.

"She's still there?"

"Yeah." I flipped the pancakes and poured Bella a cup of coffee.

"Tell her I said 'hey'!"

I handed Bella the coffee. "Seth says' hey'."

She grinned. "Tell him I said 'hey' back and that we need to get together sometime."

"She says' hey' and she wants to get together sometime." This was beginning to get ridiculous.

"Cool. She got any single friends?"

"Uh, I'll have to check." I plated the pancakes and sausage and took them to the table, motioning for Bella to follow.

"Dude, you're a lucky guy. Do you know how many guys liked Bella in high school? She didn't give them the time of day."

"I know." I was grinning ear to ear now.

"So anyways, everyone was wanting to get together tomorrow night and play ball. You game?"

"Yeah. Bella's got plans with Alice tomorrow night and I'm off work until Monday morning. What time?" I handed Bella the butter and syrup.

"Sevenish."

"Sounds good. Later"

* * *

**Bella**

We finished eating and Edward started cleaning up. "Let me get that!" I scolded.

"No, I've got it. Just sit down."

"No!" He looked at me curiously. "You made it; at least let me load the dishes in the dishwasher!"

He seemed to realize that I wasn't going to let it go easily. "Okay," he relented. He sat the plates down by the sink and sat on one of the bar stools.

I went to the sink and rinsed the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. I looked back at Edward and saw him watching me with dark eyes. I was a little confused at first before it hit me. I had nothing but a short robe on. I was sure Edward was getting a pretty good view when I bent over. Of course, I started to blush. I turned back to him and looked at him as seductively as I could. Might as well make the most of it.

"You like what you see?" He groaned and nodded his head furiously.

I giggled and started the dishwasher before turning to go to him. I didn't have to go far; he was standing right in front of me. He pushed me against the counter and crushed his mouth to mine. I fisted my hands in his hair and pulled him closer, causing him to gasp. I loved his reaction every time I did that. He started to untie my robe when my cell phone buzzed on the counter.

"Fuck!" he shouted, causing me to laugh at him.

I wiggled free of him and grabbed my phone. "I'm sorry, it's Renee." He nodded. I flipped open the phone and took a deep breath. "Hi, Mom. How's everything?"

"Hi, baby! It's good. How about you? You still dating that Edward boy?"

"Yeah. I'm actually at his house now." Edward walked back over to me and put his hands around my waist, nuzzling my neck. I tried to push him away, only for him to hold me to him tighter.

"Really?" she squealed. "Oh, honey, that's great! Wait, you're being safe, right?"

I laughed. "Of course." Edward's hands were sneaking down further.

"Well, listen, I just wanted to find out if you had plans with your dad for Thanksgiving yet."

"Yeah. I was going to cook for him." Edward spun me around and lifted me on the counter. I had to stifle a gasp from the contact with the cold granite. "I mean, he doesn't have anyone but me up here."

God, I hate divorce.

"Oh, okay." She was clearly disappointed. "Well, I want to see you for Christmas then."

"Yeah. Definitely." Words were beginning to fail me as Edward had untied my robe and had his mouth on my breast while his other hand was moving its way up my thigh. I had to bite my lip in order to keep from moaning. "Listen, Mom. I've got to go. I'll call you next week, okay?" Edward looked at me smugly.

"Okay, baby. I love you."

"Love you." I snapped the phone shut just as Edward put his fingers inside me. "Oh, God," I whimpered.

"Problems?" he asked slyly.

I carelessly tossed the phone aside. "Not anymore."

* * *

I finally managed to get dressed around noon. I walked back to the living room and found Edward sitting at the piano, playing a beautiful song I'd never heard.

I sat down on the bench next to him. "What is this?"

"I wrote it for Esme when I was seventeen. You like it?"

"It's beautiful." He stopped playing, and I frowned. "Why'd you stop?"

"I want to play something for you."

I nodded my head, and he began playing the most beautiful, softest song I'd ever heard. I listened to the sweet melody. It was almost like a lullaby. A wide grin broke out over my face.

He saw my reaction and smiled back. "I wrote it for you."

I was astonished. "What?"

"You inspired it. You inspired me. It's yours." The song came to an end and we sat there for a few moments, just staring at each other.

"Thank you," I whispered. "I love you." I felt a tear fall down my cheek.

He wiped it away and smiled softly. "I love you." He leaned down and kissed me tenderly, letting his emotions pour into it. "So, what do you say we watch a movie?"

I laughed at how he was trying to lighten things up. "Sounds good. Your pick? I need to take a look at the mail I brought from my apartment." He looked at me incredulously. "What?"

"You brought your mail with you?"

"Yeah?" I was extremely confused. "So?"

"You were only going to be gone for two days!" he said, laughing.

"I know, but my box is small and what if there's a bill or something I need to pay on Monday?" This just made him laugh even harder, causing me to flush in embarrassment.

He finally was able to speak after a few minutes of me glaring at him. "I'm sorry, love. But it's just so cute." He kissed the end of my nose before getting up. "I'll get the movie, you go get your mail," he said chuckling as he went over to the entertainment center.

I grumbled as I went into the master bedroom and took the mail out of my bag. I went through it, sorting through all the junk before finding a bill that needed to be paid and a letter from the owners of my apartment complex. Curious, I opened it up and read it. Then froze with shock.

_October 30, 2008_

_Ms. Swan,_

_We regret to inform you that we have sold Garden Estates apartment complex to a developer from Los Angeles. He will not be keeping the property as is. He will be tearing it down and building a luxury hotel in its place. Demolition starts in approximately nine weeks . _

_All tenants have two weeks to find alternative living arrangements before the eviction process starts. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you and wish you the best of luck._

_Sincerely,_

_Bob and Sue Boyle_

I don't know how long I stood there staring at the letter. My brain was going a mile an hour. I had no idea what I was going to do, where I was going to live. I vaguely heard Edward calling my name from the living room, but I couldn't make myself answer.

"Bella, are you all right?" I shook my head but didn't look at him. Edward led me to the bed and sat me down. I could feel myself getting angry now that the shock was wearing off. "Bella!" he shouted in alarm. "What's going on?"

Not trusting my voice I handed him the letter. He read the letter and ran his hand through his hair. "Shit," he breathed.

My eyes were swimming with tears. "Where am I going to find an place to live on such short notice?" I was fuming. "God fucking damn it!" I screamed.

He looked surprised by my outburst, but didn't comment. "I'm sure we'll find something," he said soothingly as he pulled me into his arms.

"Edward, do you know how many people live in that apartment complex? There are a thousand units in that complex." His eyes widened. "They go all the way up to four bedrooms, and none of them are vacant right now." I looked down, defeated. "I'm not going to be able to find anything remotely close to where I work in time." I covered my face with my hands and laid back, groaning. "I guess I can ask Alice if I can stay with her and Jasper for a few weeks while I look."

_Shit. This is a disaster._ I loved that apartment. It wasn't much, but it was convenient, and it was mine. The first place I had on my own after college. I took a deep breath and looked at Edward. The expression on his face was torn.

I had no idea what could have put that look on his face. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath and laid down next to me, his face hovering over mine. "Live with me," he said quietly.

"What?!" I screeched. "Are you serious?"

He shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean, it doesn't have to be permanent if you don't want it to be..."

"Edward, I appreciate it, but let's be serious. You can't possibly expect me to have you rearrange your life for me."

"What's to rearrange?" He looked at me, his green eyes liquid pools of emotion. "I didn't have much of a life outside of the hospital before I met you."

"But..I...I have a lot of stuff!" I said as I looked around the room. "I couldn't intrude on your space."

"Bella," he said laughing. "This house has over seven thousand square feet. You've only seen the main floor. There's another bathroom and a game room in the basement. Not to mention my office, the four other bedrooms, and three bathrooms upstairs. I'm sure I have a little space I could spare for you."

Jesus, this house was big. "Are you sure?" _Was I really considering this?_ "I'm sure Alice and Jasper wouldn't mind me staying with them for a while."

"You would rather live with Alice than with me?" he teased.

I couldn't help but laugh at his feigned shock. "No, not really."

His eyes locked on mine. "Bella, I'm not going to force you. But you know as well as I do, this is your home, too. It doesn't have to be now, but we both know it will be eventually." He smiled a dazzling smile as he stared at me.

_Damn. _"Do you always get your way?"

"Pretty much," he answered in amusement. "Is that a yes?"

I glared at him, but he knew I wasn't really angry. "If it doesn't work out, I'm moving out and blaming you for the early demise of our relationship."

Who was I kidding? It would work out.

He smiled triumphantly at me. "Thank you, you won't regret it." He kissed me hard.

I pulled back. "Wait, I don't want you to pay for everything. I mean, I know I don't make much money, but I want to contribute somehow."

"Um..." He ran his hand through his hair again.

"What? You've got a mortgage and utilities. You have to buy food somehow."

He seemed to be self-conscious. "I, uh... Well, I paid cash for the house. There's really not many expenses."

_He paid cash?!_

I tried to be as calm as possible; I could tell he was already embarrassed enough. "Then I'll buy the food." He looked like he was going to argue. "No, no arguing with me. I will not mooch off of you. If you want me to live with you, you'll agree to this."

He watched me closely for a while before finally exhaling deeply. "Fine." He flashed his crooked smile at me. "Let's go find a moving company."

He jumped off the bed and held his hands out to me. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I was sure I did, too. I knew we were moving too fast, but I couldn't stop it. I was happier than I'd ever known I could be. I felt my face beam in response. _Edward and I are going to live together!_

I took his hand, and he pulled me close. "What are you thinking, Bella?"

I cupped his face in my hands. "I was just thinking how unimaginably happy you make me."

His whole face lit up. "Come on, let's get to work."

* * *

I left Edward's on Sunday in a blissful daze. I had plans to meet Alice at the Chinese restaurant we loved so much. I pulled into the parking lot and saw Alice's yellow Porsche. The death trap, I liked to call it. I pulled in next to it, but she had already gotten out of the car.

I went inside and spotted her black hair immediately. I walked over to the table and sat down. "Hey, Alice. How was your weekend?"

She looked me over and smiled knowingly. "Apparently not as good as yours." I immediately blushed. "Isabella Swan, you little slut!"

My face was now a tomato red. "Oh, God. Alice, you don't really think I'm a slut do you?"

The waiter came over and took our drink orders, telling us we could go to the buffet whenever we were ready.

As soon as he was gone, she answered me. "Of course not! I think anyone would have a hard time calling a twenty-five year old girl who's only had sex with one man a slut."

My stomach rumbled. "Can we grab our food and talk about it while we eat? I'm starving."

She nodded, and we got up to fill our plates before we sat back down.

She tore apart her spring roll. "So, how was it?"

"Amazing."

She looked at me incredulously. "Is that all I get?"

"What do you want?"

"I want it all. I want to know when, where, how many times, everything!" Her face lit up with excitement.

"Great," I grumbled. I told her everything, trying not to leave anything out or blush any more than usual. "Alice, you don't think I made a mistake, do you?"

"Well, I think the question is 'Do you think you made a mistake or are you worried about what everyone will think of you, after losing your virginity to a guy you've known for only three weeks'?" Alice: never one to mince words.

I thought about it for a minute. "The second." I took a sip of water. "I don't think I made a mistake. It felt right. Well, it felt more than right." I blushed. _Again._ "I've never wanted to take that step before. I was afraid of it, I guess. He makes me feel safe, loved. I could never be afraid of anything as long as he's with me." I took a deep breath. "It's just so out of character for me. I thought I'd wait until I got married."

"Yeah, but then Edward came along." I looked at her questioningly. "Let's face it, Bella. That man has turned you inside out. Anything and everything that was typical Bella Swan behavior no longer applies." She shrugged her shoulders. "I think it's great. He brought you out of your shell."

"Huh. I never thought of it like that." I bit my lip, afraid to continue. "There's more."

"What more could there be?"

"I'm moving in with him." I cringed, waiting for her reaction.

She surprised me. "You are? When?"

"No shrieking?"

She laughed. "No. But why the suddenness?"

"I got a letter from the owners of my apartment complex saying they'd sold to a developer from LA and that he's turning it into a luxury hotel." Alice gave me a sour look. "I have two weeks to find a new apartment before they evict me. Edward asked me to live with him." I looked down nervously.

"You could have stayed with us until you found a new apartment."

"I know; that's what I told him. He said it didn't have to be permanent if I didn't want it to be. I don't know, I surprised myself by saying yes, but Alice," I looked at her seriously before continuing, "I really want to. I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like I should be there."

"As long as your happy."

"I am."

She grinned. "Good. But if you change your mind, you know you're welcome, right?"

"Thank you."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Edward**

The two weeks after Bella agreed to move in with me flew by. I couldn't even begin to describe how happy it made me to know that the house I bought for myself would become _our_ home in just a few short hours. My parents and Renee thought we were moving extremely fast, but were excited nonetheless. Charlie, on the other hand, thought we were insane.

We had made all the necessary arrangements. A moving company was scheduled to move all of her furniture to a storage unit she insisted she rent and bring her personal belongings here tomorrow. I cleared out the upstairs bedroom across from my office and converted it into an office for her and had just finished it a few days ago. I wanted to make sure she felt like she had her own personal space. Alice and Jasper were coming by tomorrow help us unpack all of Bella's things. Emmett and Rosalie were flying in from Chicago to meet Bella and to help as well. Their flight was scheduled to arrive in fifteen minutes.

We walked to the baggage claim at the airport, and I took Bella's hand. She was fidgeting with the buttons on her shirt. "Relax, they'll love you."

She blew out a breath. "I can't help it. I just really want them to like me."

She looked so worried, I couldn't help but smile. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her forehead. "They will, love." I looked down at her face. "Who wouldn't?" I asked, smiling.

"Haha. Oh, God. I have to do this again with your parents on Thanksgiving!" She buried her face in my chest, and I laughed. We had decided to have everyone at our house for Thanksgiving since I was on call. My family would be meeting Charlie for the first time. Bella was quickly becoming a nervous wreck as the days passed. Luckily, Alice was an expert party planner and had taken that burden off Bella's shoulders. Even though she and Jasper were celebrating with their own families, she was more than happy to help.

"Eddie!" I heard Emmett's deep voice boom from the escalators. I looked up to see him grinning from ear to ear at us until Rosalie smacked his shoulder. I couldn't help but laugh.

They were finally close enough that I didn't have to yell. "Don't call me Eddie, Em." I said, laughing and shaking my head. I really hated it, but I'd missed him too much to get mad.

We gave each other a quick hug and I turned to Rosalie. "Rosie, it's good to see you," I said warmly, as I hugged her. "I missed you."

"Hey, Edward. I missed you too." Her ice blue eyes bore into mine. She could be intimidating until you got to know her.

I slung my arm over Bella's shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Guys, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is my brother Emmett and his wife Rosalie." As I introduced Bella as my girlfriend I realized the term wasn't right. She was more.

* * *

**Bella**

I watched them approach and my heart felt like it was lodged in my throat with fear. I was completely intimidated. They were nothing like I'd expected. Emmett was just as tall as Edward but much, much bulkier; he was huge. He had dark brown hair that was cut short and curled a little at the ends with bright, cobalt blue eyes. He actually looked pretty scary until he smiled; his cheeks dimpled, turning in to a big teddy bear. Rosalie walked beside him looking like she was ready to walk the runway. She was at least four inches taller than me with long blonde hair that was pulled into a neat ponytail. She had the body most girls would die for--rail thin with all the right curves and legs for days.

Edward put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek. "Guys, this is my girlfriend Bella. Bella, this is my brother Emmett and his wife Rosalie." His voice was filled with emotion. He was looking forward to this more than he'd let on. The pressure I'd put myself under suddenly doubled.

"Hi," I said shyly.

I didn't even get a chance to hold out my hand to shake theirs before Emmett wrapped me up in a bear hug. "Welcome to the family, Bella!" he boomed. I could feel the vibrations from his voice deep in his chest and I relaxed. "You have no idea how happy you've made my mother," he said laughing. He moved his mouth closer to my ear and whispered, "And my brother."

I was grinning ear to ear. I wanted to answer him but couldn't. "Uh...can't...breathe...Emmett." I was pounding on his back and trying to wiggle free.

"Oh, sorry!"

I grinned back at him. It felt like he was a big brother, coming to visit. I guess in a way, he was. "It's okay. Thanks."

I turned and looked at Rosalie. Her ice blue eyes appraised me, and I felt myself shrink back into Edward's side. "Hello. It's nice to meet you," she said coldly.

"Uh...It's nice to meet you too," I stammered, taken aback by her clear dislike of me.

"Let's get your bags, and we can catch up on the way to the house," Edward said, leading us to the carousel where Emmett and Rosalie's bags were being loaded on to. Edward and Emmett grabbed the luggage and we all headed to the car.

"So, where's this bachelor pad of yours, Eddie?" Emmett asked once we were on the road.

Edward laughed. "It overlooks the Sound. And it's not a bachelor pad. You have to be single to have one, and I'm not single anymore," he said as he looked in the rearview mirror at me, smiling.

"How's the hospital?" Rosalie interjected.

"It's good. You can tell Carlisle I'm honestly happy." he said winking.

"Caught me," she chuckled.

"Bella's invited her friends Alice and Jasper to dinner with us tonight. I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not," Rose and Emmett replied together.

"Good, 'cause the little pixie has a lot of plans she wants to discuss about tomorrow," he said, amused.

"She's like the Tasmanian Devil. She just runs over everyone with her excitement, leaving nothing but order in her wake." I giggled.

"You'll love her," Edward said. "Everyone does."

"So, Bella, how'd you meet Edward?" Rose asked me nicely.

"Um, I'm a bit of a klutz actually," I said blushing. "I cut my hand with a knife a few weeks ago and Edward stitched it up. I didn't think I'd see him again outside of the hospital, but I ended up running into him at the gym-"

"Where he knocked your ass off a treadmill," Emmett cut me off, laughing.

I blushed again. "You told him?"

"Yeah," Edward said sheepishly.

"Eddie here thought he'd ruined any chance he ever had with you. I must admit, it was a very smooth move," he said, laughing at his own joke. "Trying to send you back to the ER so he could take care of you."

"That is _not_ what I was trying to do, Em." He was trying not to laugh.

Rosalie smacked him across the back of the head. "Shut up!" she said, teasingly.

"Ow! Come on, Rosie. It was funny!"

"You're such an idiot!" She was rolling her eyes.

Luckily, we pulled into the garage before they could continue arguing. "I'm going to get started on dinner," I said as they got their luggage out of the car. "I'll call you guys when it's ready." They smiled and nodded as I walked away.

* * *

I had decided to make chicken cacciatore for dinner. I had browned the chicken and was working on the sauce when I was interrupted. "Can I help you with anything in here?" I turned to see Rosalie standing in the doorway.

"Uh, sure. Do you want to get everything ready for the salad?"

_Help me._

"I make you nervous, don't I?" She opened the fridge and started pulling everything out for the salad.

I laughed nervously, effectively answering her question. "You could say that."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to. I just want to make sure you're not after Edward's money."

"Excuse me? What money?" I was struggling to concentrate on stirring the sauce.

"You can't tell me you don't know how rich he is."

"Well, I know he paid cash for this house. But I don't know how much it was. I just assumed being a doctor paid really well." I turned around and looked at her. "What the hell are you talking about, Rose?"

"He really didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Now I was getting pissed. What was Edward hiding?

She sighed. "Carlisle comes from an extremely wealthy family. When his parents died, he recieved an inheritance. Since he and Esme didn't need the money, he set up trust funds in Emmett's and Edward's names. When they turned twenty-one, they each had access to over thirty million dollars."

I gasped. "Edward always gets uncomfortable when we talk about money. Is that why?"

She nodded. "All his and Emmett's lives, they've had girls trying to get a hold of the Cullen family fortune. Luckily, he was never interested enough in any of them to get into a relationship. At least, until he met you. So I had to know if you knew about it or not."

"I don't. I mean, I didn't." I put the chicken back into the sauce and covered it with a lid. "I love him, Rosalie." I turned and looked her in the eye. I was not a gold-digger.

She nodded. "Good."

We worked on dinner in an awkward silence after that. I could feel my face flush with anger as I thought about the position Edward had put me in. I couldn't understand why he felt the need to hide it from me. Was all the trust, all the love one-sided? I thought for sure he felt the same. I couldn't help but wonder if I was making a mistake--moving too fast, with this new information.

If I was making a mistake by moving in with Edward, why didn't it feel like one? My brain was still processing all this when I heard the front door open and close, the quiet murmurs of two people talking quietly before their footsteps echoed through the foyer.

"Bella? Bella, are you here?" I had never been so happy to hear that wonderful soprano voice in all my life.

"In the kitchen, Alice!" I shouted back.

"Oh, hey." She came in and eyed me from head to toe. "Bella! What in the hell are you wearing?" I looked at my brown turtleneck sweater and jeans, confused. "You look like a homeless person!"

Rosalie laughed while I blushed. Alice looked at her and smiled. "Hi! You must be Rosalie. I'm Alice. Nice to meet you." She held her hand out.

"Nice to meet you." She shook her hand. "I've heard a lot of things about you, Alice. I have a feeling we'll get along well." She smiled sincerely at Alice.

_What the hell?_

"Great!" She turned back to me. "Bella, I have lots of ideas for your library and I'm going to arrange your closet for you tomorrow." _Of course._

I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to care. "Sure, Alice. Whatever you want. Just clear it with Edward first."

"Wow, really? Uh, okay. What can I help you with?" I could tell she knew something was wrong with me, but I couldn't talk about it now. I looked around to find something for her to do.

"You can go find out what Edward did with the wine he bought yesterday."

"On it." She bounced off.

"My God, she has a lot of energy," Rose cried, laughing.

"Yes, she really does."

* * *

**Edward**

Emmett and I were playing pool when we heard Jasper and Alice come in. "Hey," Jasper said as he descended the stairs.

"Hey, Jasper." I stopped playing to make formal introductions. "Jasper, this is my brother Emmett. Emmett, this is Bella's friend Jasper Whitlock."

Jasper had a huge smile on his face. "It's nice to meet you," he said as he extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Emmett shook his hand. He looked at him for a moment before continuing. "I take it you follow the NFL." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Yeah." Jasper's grin was even wider. "You're awesome, man. Really. One of the best linemen out there."

"Thanks." Emmett turned to me. "I think I like this guy."

I chuckled. Of course Emmett would like anyone that stroked his ego. "Of course you do."

"Let's get back to it. Jasper? Want to play me after I get done kicking Eddie's ass?"

"Sure." Jasper went to the bar and grabbed a beer. "Anyone else want one?"

"Yeah," Emmett and I said together.

Jasper got two more out of the fridge and brought them to us. "By the way, good luck tomorrow."

"Yeah. I know I'll need it," I muttered. Alice had weaseled her way into me helping her surprise Bella; Bella would not be pleased. "How the hell do you live with that meddling pixie?"

"I make my life easy by saying two little words." He grinned smugly.

"What's that?"

"Yes, dear." I laughed at him.

"So, Eddie. How's the sex life?"

"Christ, Emmett," I said, disgusted.

"What? Bella's a beautiful girl. She good in the sack?"

He wouldn't drop it until I answered. "Yeah."

"Really? She seems so shy." He knocked two of his balls in. _Damn._

"Not in bed," I muttered.

"Oh, shit!" He said laughing. "The good girls never are," he said, shaking his head.

"Hang on. You and Bella have had sex already?" Jasper asked incredulously.

I sighed and took a pull of my beer. _Here we go._ Although, I was honestly surprised Alice hadn't blabbed it all over town yet. "Yes."

"You didn't take advantage of her or anything, right?"

I looked at Jasper in shock. "Of course not, Jazz!"

"Then why so soon?" He looked honestly confused.

"I have no idea. Your guess is as good as mine." I honestly didn't know what made me so different than anyone else she'd ever met. But I wasn't going to rock the boat, so to speak.

"But she was ready?" He still didn't look like he believed me.

"You're just asking me the same question again. Only you've reworded it."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Did she _tell_ you she was ready?"

"Yes." Before he could say anything else I continued. "And I asked her if she was sure. Twice if I recall correctly."

Emmett stopped playing. "I feel like I'm missing something important here." He gave me a hard look. "Explain."

"It's none of your business."

"Yes it is. She's obviously going to be my little sister someday. So tell me. What's going on?" He crossed his arms over his chest. I stood my ground. "Or I'll make your life hell," he threatened.

Jasper looked a little frightened. I would be too if I didn't know Emmett so well. "Bella was a virgin until she met Edward," Jasper blurted out.

_What the fuck? _"Jazz!"

"What? He looked like he was going to kick your ass! I'm saving your life here!" Jasper looked at the two of us.

"What the hell, Jazz? Aren't you some big shot martial arts expert? You scared of Emmett?" I asked, raising my brows. I didn't actually think he was scared of Emmett. I was fairly certain that if he didn't worship Emmett, he'd have no trouble fighting him.

"No. I could hold my own." He shook his head and smiled. "I like you Edward, but I'm not getting my pretty face all messed up for you."

"Pretty face, my ass," I scoffed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Emmett looked at Jasper. "You serious? Bella was a virgin?" Jasper nodded. "How in the hell was a girl that fine still a virgin? And what the fuck does she see in you?" He turned to me.

"It's a long story, Emmett. And it's not mine to tell." I shrugged and ran my hand through my hair.

He knew me well enough not to push it; I wouldn't budge. He thought of something and started laughing. "Damn, Eddie! You popped her cherry!"

"Shut the fuck up, Em." I glared at him.

"Fine, whatever. It was a beautiful thing," he said sarcastically. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to kick Jasper's ass now."

I looked down at the pool table. I still had two balls on the table and the eight ball was in the corner pocket. "Damn."

* * *

We ate dinner, laughing and joking with one another as if we'd known each other for years. The food was excellent; Bella is an amazing cook. I complimented her over and over again. She blushed and smiled at me but it didn't reach her eyes. Something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

We watched a movie and hung out in the game room before Alice and Jasper finally called it a night and went home. Emmett and Rose went upstairs to get ready for bed, and I followed Bella into what would be as of tomorrow our bedroom.

"Bella, love? What's the matter?" I couldn't stand much more of feeling like something was off.

"Nothing, why?" She wouldn't even look at me.

I walked over to her and spun her around, putting my fingers on her chin so she was forced to look up at my face. "Bella. Tell me."

She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek. _Shit! What did I do?_ "Edward, why didn't you tell me about your trust fund?"

_Fuck._ "I...uh...I...I really don't know." I could see the anger flash in her eyes.

"So, what? You thought maybe I was after your money?"

"No! I just, I didn't know how to say it!" She looked at me incredulously. "I mean, how do you tell someone you have over thirty million dollars sitting in the bank?"

"You should have told me so that I was prepared for Rose when she practically accused me of being a gold-digger tonight!"

"She called you a gold-digger?!" Now I was pissed. I loved Rose, but my life was none of her business.

"Not in so many words." Bella looked up at me. I knew my face showed the fury I felt. "Don't be mad at Rose, she was just trying to protect you."

I looked down at her and my anger melted. I could never stay mad with Bella near. I cupped her face with my hands. "Bella, I have not ever, for one moment, thought you were after my money. I never even thought about it. I forget about a lot of things when I'm with you. It's like nothing else in the world exists." _My whole world revolves around you._ I sighed. "I fucked up, didn't I?"

She laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes. I wasn't totally forgiven yet. I would have to make it up to her. "Yeah, a little." She kissed me softly. "Promise me you'll tell me everything, from now on."

That was an easy one. "I promise."

* * *

"Okay, I think that's the last one." All of Bella's things had been unpacked. She now officially lived with me. "You officially live here," I said before I kissed her. I didn't stop kissing her until someone cleared their throat, probably Emmett.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, not looking away from Bella.

She giggled and looked around the room. "Hey, where's Alice?" I unfortunately knew the answer to that. I was not looking forward to Bella's reaction.

"I'm back here!" she called from our bedroom. We all followed Bella back to the bedroom.

"Alice, what are you doing?" I could tell she was nervous. Hell, I was nervous.

"Okay, so I know you're going to be pissed, but whatever. I took all your clothes to Goodwill and bought you some more." Bella gasped. "They're all labeled and ready for you to wear. There's also a handbook that tells you what shoes and accessories goes with each outfit. Think of it as a housewarming gift from me." Bella didn't even bother looking inside. She just kept her eyes locked on Alice.

"Alice! Where did you get the money for all this?" She didn't give Alice a chance to answer before she whirled around and glared at me. _Shit._ "Edward Anthony Cullen, what the hell were you thinking?!" She was definitely pissed.

"Oh, come on, love. You know what Alice is capable of. I didn't have a choice!" I couldn't help but laugh at the furious expression on her face. She was like a pissed off little kitten.

"I told him I'd take you out every day for the next two months and by the time you got home you'd be too exhausted for sex." Of course, Emmett was cracking up at this.

"You know she'd do it, too." I knew she'd get pissed. Two months of no sex was better than this.

Bella was livid. Not only did she hate surprises, she hated for people to spend money on her.

Before things could get any more heated, Jasper intervened. "All right, Alice, I think you've done enough damage for one night," he said chuckling. "Let's go." He took his wife's hand and led her out of the room. "We'll talk to you guys later!" he called back to us.

I slowly walked over to Bella, holding my hands out like I was coming in peace. "Bella," I said softly. Nothing. "Bella, just look at it." I wrapped my arms around her and nuzzled her neck. She sighed. "Come on." I took her hand and led her into the closet.

Emmett and Rose quietly left the room.

Bella walked inside and looked around. She worked her way through the racks, looking at everything individually. "She bought a lot of stuff I probably won't wear." She was eyeing a midnight blue dress as she said it.

"I know. Keep looking though."

She made her way through the rack and found the t-shirts and jeans I'd made Alice buy her. "She bought this? Alice never lets me wear t-shirts and jeans!" She looked at me in amazement.

"I know. I made her." I gave her a small smile. I didn't want to push my luck. It didn't seem like she was angry any more, but I knew she wasn't happy about Alice's supposed gift.

"How did you make her?" She looked completely baffled.

"I bargained with her. I told her no deal unless I could approve it all. I know what you like, love, and I wasn't about to make you uncomfortable just so Alice could get her kicks." I grabbed her hand and led her to her dresser. "Oh, and before I forget..." I opened the drawer and she peeked inside.

"Oh, thank God!" All of her tank tops and pajama bottoms were folded neatly in the drawer.

"Alice doesn't know about it. This is what she thinks you'll be sleeping in from now on." I opened the drawer above it. It was all lingerie.

She giggled. I seemed to have been forgiven. "Of course. Well, I guess I could make use of it someday," she said coyly.

"I'll be looking forward to that." I couldn't wait to see some of the things Alice bought on her.

"Edward, you shouldn't have done this," she scolded. She wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I know, but I wanted to. I love you, and I want to make you happy. It's as simple as that." I looked down at her and felt my heart pound in my chest. I hoped I never got used the feelings and sensations she gave me. They were indescribable.

"I love you, too." She stood on her toes so she could reach my lips and kissed me.

"Welcome home, my love."


	12. Chapter 12

**I got a lot done over the weekend so I thought I'd update with two chapters. This one has a lemon and gets a little dramatic **

* * *

Chapter 12

**Bella**

I pulled into the hospital parking lot and parked next to Edward's Volvo. We were going to grab some dinner before shopping for the rest of the ingredients we would need for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

Esme had faxed two recipes to Edward at the hospital. One was for her famous pumpkin turnovers; the other was a recipe for cornbread stuffing that Carlisle loved.

I couldn't even begin to describe how ridiculously nervous I was about meeting Edward's parents. My heart jumped in my chest and my palms went damp every time I thought about it.

Alice had taken some of the pressure off of me by ordering and setting up the decorations as well as getting the table ready before she left. But it was still up to me to make dinner and be a good hostess over the weekend. I had obsessed about it for the last two weeks. I'd never had to meet a boyfriend's parents before; except Billy, who I didn't count since when I'd met him Jacob and I were just friends. I had no idea what to do or say when the time came.

I walked into the ER and found Tanya--Edward's description was perfect. She was thin with lots of strawberry blond hair and had these pretty, light blue eyes.

Edward was supposed to have told her I was meeting him here, and she would page him when I arrived.

I walked over to the reception desk. "Hi, Tanya, right?"

She looked me over before answering. "Yeah. I take it you're Bella?" She didn't seem to happy to be talking to me.

Come to think of it, she acted the same when I got my stitches removed. And when I met Edward for lunch last week. I was getting the feeling she didn't like me. Or maybe she was just a bitch.

"Yeah. Edward said you would page him when I got here?"

She nodded and picked up the phone. "He said for you to wait out here, and he'd be out as soon as he could."

"Okay, thanks."

I started to go to the waiting area to sit down, but before I took two steps, I heard someone call my name. "Bella!"

_Oh, no. Please be someone else._

I turned around to see Mike Newton rushing over to me. _Damn it!_ "Hi, Mike. I didn't know you drove the ambulance for this hospital." I could see Tanya watching us closely out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah. You're not hurt, are you?" My reputation precedes me.

The thought made me laugh. "No. I'm actually meeting my boyfriend here."

His brows shot up with surprise. "Boyfriend? I thought you didn't date."

Before I could answer him, Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed the back of my neck. "Hello, love. I missed you."

I felt myself melt into him. I could see Mike watching us, his expression hostile. "I missed you, too," I whispered.

"You're dating Edward?" Mike asked, his voice laced with anger.

I felt Edward stiffen behind me. "Yeah? Is that a problem, Mike?" I saw Tanya practically drooling over Edward and had to hold back a laugh. No wonder she acted pissed off to see me.

"No." His face was set in a scowl. He looked back at me. "I thought you said you didn't date."

"I didn't, and then I met Edward." I did feel bad. Well, sort of. "I'm sorry, really, I am. I wasn't lying to you, I swear."

He looked me over and seemed to believe me. "Yeah, okay. I guess I'll see you sometime next week Bella. I'm supposed to pick my mom up for lunch."

"Okay." I felt extremely uncomfortable.

"See you, Cullen." He gave Edward a hard look before walking away.

I felt Edward's silent laughter. I spun around to face him. "What's so funny?"

"You had to get the best EMT we've got to fall in love with you."

"Mike Newton is not in love with me!" I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Oh, please, Bella. When are you going to see yourself clearly? I'm going to have to beat all the guys off with baseball bats for the rest of my days." He was still laughing quietly. "So, how do you know Newton?"

"His mom's a volunteer at the library."

"Oh, really? So, do I need to be concerned with this newfound development?" He was smirking.

I slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "Of course not!"

He pulled me closer to him. "Good, because you're mine," he growled in my ear.

I cocked my eyebrow and looked at him. This probably should have pissed me off, but in reality, it was a huge turn on. "Is that so?"

"Yes. And I don't like sharing," he said playfully. I could see the heat burning behind his eyes.

"Come on, before you get us arrested for having sex in a public place."

His eyebrows shot up, but he said nothing. He turned back to Tanya. "See you," he said smiling politely.

She quickly hid the scowl on her face. "Bye, Dr. Cullen," she said sweetly.

We walked through the doors, and I burst out laughing. Edward was looking at me like I'd lost my mind. "I'm sorry!" I said, still snickering. "I think Tanya was hoping you'd break up with me or something."

"Over Newton?" I nodded my head. "I don't know. I've wondered if she was interested in me, but she's never said anything. I think she's just a nice person."

"Oh, please. The few times I've been here to see you, she's been nothing but a bitch. And you should have seen her face in there. She practically had drool rolling down her chin when you walked up."

"Is that so?" We had reached his car.

"Yes. It is." I looked at him seductively. "Do I need to worry about Tanya?"

_What was going on with us?_

He leaned in to me. "No. I'm not interested in her." He paused for a beat. "I prefer brunettes." I could see the heat building in his eyes again. "Why? Are you worried, love?" he said, huskily.

"No. But you're mine. And I don't share," I purred as I looked up at him from behind my lashes.

"Get in the car, Bella." His eyes were hungry now.

"What?"

"Get. In. The. Car. Bella," he repeated as he crushed his mouth to mine. He opened the door and pushed me into the back seat, his mouth never leaving mine.

_Thank God for tinted windows._

* * *

_Breathe, Bella._

I took a deep breath and fiddled with the necklace that I'd put on. I followed Alice's handbook carefully, making sure I looked perfect. I had worn the midnight blue dress Alice had bought me. The neckline was a little too low for my taste, but the fabric felt wonderful on my skin. I'd worn it with the jewelry and ballet flats Alice had chosen to go with it. I must say, the girl knows what she's doing. I looked in the mirror and ran my fingers through my hair. I'd left it loose and wavy, figuring that I'd end up pulling it up into a knot while I finished cooking.

I saw Edward walk up behind me, looking great as usual, in a pair of dark, slightly distressed jeans and a cream sweater. "I thought you said you'd never wear that," he smirked as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to look nice for your parents." My palms were sweating again just thinking about it.

"You must remind me to thank Alice when she and Jasper come back. You look incredible." He ran his nose across my neck, watching my reflection in the mirror. I blushed. "Ah, there it is. I love it when you blush," he murmured against my skin.

I smiled contentedly. "How much longer?"

"An hour or so." I exhaled loudly. "Bella, they'll love you. Emmett and Rose already adore you. They went back to Chicago saying nothing but great things about you to Carlisle and Esme. As far as my mother's concerned, you're already part of the family."

No one was more surprised than I was to hear Rose was saying great things about me. I still don't know what I did or said that convinced Rose I wasn't after Edward's money.

"I know. You've already told me this, but I'm still nervous." I pulled away from him and kissed his cheek. "I need to check the food before Charlie gets here." He watched me leave the room with worry in his eyes. "I love you!" I called back to him, hearing him chuckle in response.

I pulled the turkey out of the top oven and checked on the stuffing and au gratin potatoes that were baking in the bottom oven. I put the broccoli cheese casserole Edward had requested and the yams in the top oven, turning the temperature up a little. I had the green beans simmering on the stove and lifted the towel over the rolls to see how they were rising. I would bake them, make the gravy, and toss the salad right before we ate.

Edward had helped me the night before with the pumpkin turnovers, pies, and cakes, and they were now sitting on the island. The wine Edward had brought home was in the cooler. I looked around and mentally checked everything off my list. I was pleased at how things were turning out; I'd never hosted a Thanksgiving dinner myself before.

The plan was that Charlie, Rose, and Emmett were all staying the night and leaving sometime in the morning--Charlie to drive back to Forks, Emmett and Rose to catch a flight to LA for a game Emmett had scheduled on Saturday. Carlisle and Esme were planning to stay until Saturday afternoon before flying back to Chicago.

The doorbell rang, and I heard Edward answer it. "Charlie! It's good to see you!" He was trying so hard to get back into Charlie's good graces, I couldn't help but smile.

"Edward. Where's Bella?" It didn't sound like it would be any time soon.

"She's in the kitchen. Let me show you where it is." I heard their footsteps getting closer, and I could feel myself sweating. It was the first time I'd seen Charlie since I'd told him I was moving in with Edward.

"Hi, Dad!" I said brightly, as he and Edward walked through the doorway.

"Hey, Bells." He looked around. "You've got quite a house here, Edward." He was polite, but not friendly.

"Thank you, sir." I walked over to Edward and kissed him on the cheek. I knew he was concerned about my dad's reaction to us living together.

Charlie eyed us closely before answering. "You're welcome. So, Bella, how do you like living here?"

"It's great, Dad. The house is wonderful and Edward and I get along great." _Get over it already._

"Hmph."

"So, Chief Swan, would you like to catch the game in the living room?" Edward was trying to make my father comfortable. God love him.

"Uh, sure."

Edward walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer. "Would you like one?" he asked my dad.

"Sure, thanks," he said taking the beer from Edward's hand. They walked off together talking about football. I had to hand it to Edward, he was a fantastic host.

I cleaned up a little in the kitchen before going to join them in the living room. I stood at the doorway watching them. They were at ease with one another, but the hostility from Charlie was still there. I sighed.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Edward looked at me and flashed me a lopsided smirk. "Would you like me to answer that?"

"No, that's okay. I'll get it." I turned and took the few steps to the door before adjusting my dress and fluffing my hair. _Jeez, I must be nervous._ I never fluff my hair.

I opened the door to see Emmett and Rosalie standing there. "Little sis!" Emmett boomed, pulling me into another one of his bear hugs.

"Em!" I tried to wiggle away, but it was no use. "I can't breathe!" I said with the last bit of air I had left.

"Sorry, sorry. Just missed you kiddo."

It was funny to me that Emmett and I just seemed to click on a brother-sister level. Apparently, I was the little sister he never had.

"I missed you too, Em," I said giggling. "Come in, it's freezing outside!" I moved out of the way so that they could step in. They walked through the doorway and I saw Rose look at me out of the corner of her eye. "Hi, Rose. How are you?"

She seemed to be relieved that I was talking to her. "I'm great, Bella. It's nice to see you again," she said smiling as she leaned in to give me a hug.

It took all I had not to stand there with my mouth hanging open and hug her back. "It's nice to see you, too." I looked back to Emmett. "Where are your parents?"

"They had to make a stop on the way. They should be here in a minute." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at me.

"What's going on, Emmett?" I asked hesitantly. There was no telling with Emmett.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Rose smacked Emmett on the back of the head and glared at him.

"Uh, okay. Well, Edward and my dad are in the living room watching some TV."

"Awesome." Emmett started to walk off. "Hey, Eddie!" he called as he walked in the living room.

I turned back to Rosalie and saw she had made no effort to follow him. "Uh, hi?" I don't know why it sounded like a question.

She laughed. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about the way I treated you the last time we were here."

"Oh, uh, okay. Um, thanks?" I was confused to say the least.

"I wanted you to know that the night before we left, when Alice and Edward surprised you with the closet debacle..." She waited for me, and I nodded my head. "Well, I didn't mean to watch you guys. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop or anything, I promise. I'd come back to see everything Alice bought you, but I stopped when I saw you guys talking by the dresser and...well, Bella, I knew then that you loved him." I was still confused. "I saw the look in your eyes when he welcomed you home, and I knew that I'd made a mistake by assuming you were after his money. So I want to apologize for that. I'm truly sorry."

I couldn't believe it. "Thank you. But there's nothing to apologize for, honestly. I understand your intentions were good. And I think it's great that you love Edward enough to want to look out for him. I hope my friends and family would do the same."

She grinned widely and opened her mouth to say something back, but was interrupted by a calm, male voice. "Rosie, I see you and Emmett have already arrived."

I looked outside to see a tall, muscular man with honey blond hair and cobalt blue eyes. I could see the traits that Carlisle had passed on to Edward and Emmett immediately. Edward's facial features and lean, muscular build resembled Carlisle's. His piercing blue eyes were exactly like Emmett's. And it was clear both men had gotten their good looks from their father. My eyes moved to the right to see a small, slender woman with caramel colored hair and pale green eyes. Now I knew where Edward's bronze hair and green eyes had come from, only his coloring was much more intense. Esme was beautiful, moving gracefully by Carlisle's side as they approached the door.

"And this must be Bella," Carlisle said smiling genuinely at me. "We've heard so much about you." He clasped my hands in his.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Dr. Cullen," I said smiling. I couldn't explain it, but I suddenly felt at ease with him.

"Call me Carlisle. Everyone else does."

I nodded and was approached by Esme. She gave me a long, strong hug before clasping my face between her hands. "You are just as beautiful as Edward said you were. It's so nice to finally meet you, dear." She was so warm, so friendly; I felt at home.

"Thank you. It's nice to finally meet you, as well. Edward has told me a lot about you." I looked at Carlisle. "Both of you."

"All good, I hope." Carlisle said smiling.

"Yes. Of course. Come in, come in!" I said, hurrying them past me. "Edward! Your parents are here!" I called out to the living room.

A few moments later Edward appeared. "Mom! Dad! How was your trip?" He gave them both hugs.

Rose put her hand on my shoulder. "I love that dress, Bella. It looks beautiful on you."

"Thanks," I said blushing. She led me into the living room to join Emmett and Charlie, talking about everything I was wearing. I had to concentrate to understand what she was saying.

_Where's Alice when you need her?_

* * *

**Edward**

"Mom! Dad! How was your trip?" I called to them as I walked over to them.

"It was fine, thank you," Esme said, hugging me.

I stepped out of her hug and gave Carlisle one with the intention of asking him about the bracelet. "Did you bring it?" I whispered in his ear. He nodded in reply.

"The house looks wonderful, Edward." Esme said, looking around.

"Well, it should. You helped decorate it." I said back, laughing.

I caught Rose's eye and she led Bella to the living room, complimenting her dress as they walked. I couldn't help but smile. It was the perfect distraction. Bella would be so flustered, she wouldn't pay any attention to me.

"Come with me, " I said to my parents, leading them up the stairs and to my office. I shut the door behind me. "I'm going to hide it in here."

My father nodded, pulling the long velvet box out of his coat pocket. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely."

I opened the box to see the intricately woven white gold bracelet with the five carat heart shaped canary diamond charm on it. It was part of a set that had been my great-grandmother's and was passed down to Carlisle when she died. My father had given my mother the ring, Emmett the necklace, which he gave to Rose on their wedding day, and I was given the bracelet. I couldn't wait to give it to Bella.

I turned back to Esme. "You didn't wear the ring, did you?" She hardly ever took it off her finger.

"No, of course not. You told me not to!" She smiled at me before continuing. "When are you going to give it to her?"

"I was thinking Christmas, but I don't know if I can wait that long." I could feel myself beaming.

"You really love her, don't you?" Carlisle asked me, scrutinizing my face.

"Yeah. I do."

"Esme, dear, I have something I wanted to ask Edward. Could you keep Bella company for a few minutes for us?"

_What could he possibly want to talk to me about?_

She nodded her head and left the room. "Okay, Dad. What's going on?" I was getting nervous.

"Well, I have a favor to ask of you." He looked like he didn't want to say it.

"All right," I said slowly.

"I'm starting a new charity organization."

"Really? That's great." It really was. It was sad to me how many people couldn't afford medical attention.

He chuckled nervously. "You might not think so once you hear the favor." My brows knit in confusion. "I've put together a team of doctors and nurses to travel around the world to remote places and help the people that do not have access to medical help. I have everyone I need on the team, myself included, except a doctor with trauma experience." He looked at me tentatively.

"What's the favor?" I asked skeptically.

"I would like you to go with us."

"Sure. When do we go?" I didn't mind leaving for a few weeks to do some charity work. I was sure I could get the time off at the hospital.

"The team leaves the week before Christmas." He put his hands in his pockets. "Edward, if you agree to this, you need to know that we will be gone for approximately six months." My eyebrows shot up. "And when I said remote places, I meant just that. There will be no way for you to contact home outside of sending a letter as we make our way to our next destination. Where we plan to go there is no cell phone service, no electricity. Most places won't even have running water."

"Wait, what does Mom have to say about this?"

"She'll be going with us. She'll be in charge of patient care." Of course.

"So, if I go with you, I won't be able to see or talk to Bella for six months. Only to write her a letter to let her know I'm okay?" I wasn't sure I could do it. He nodded. We stood in silence for a while before I answered him. "Normally, I wouldn't hesitate. But I need to think about it before I give you my answer."

"I understand, son. I wouldn't expect it any other way."

I put the bracelet in the desk and let out my breath in a whoosh.

"We'd better get back out there." I ran my hand through my hair and started back downstairs, Carlisle following closely behind.

* * *

I spent the rest of the day trying to decide what to do. I couldn't imagine being anywhere without Bella. She was such a part of my life now, just the thought of being away from her tugged at my heart and left me feeling broken. But this was my family. I'd do anything for them. As I thought about it, I knew Bella would support me in whatever I decided to do. I didn't want to let my father down. He was counting on me to go.

Was that my decision? Was I going to join his group? Or would I stay in Seattle with Bella? If I left, I couldn't expect Bella to wait for me. The thought alone just about knocked me of my feet. Would she wait for me? Or would she move on? Surely she felt as strongly for me as I did for her. I knew I'd wait until the end of time for her. Dramatic, yes, but true. I had to believe she felt the same. But I needed to find a way to show her just how much I loved her before I left--if I left.

I tried to focus on dinner, but couldn't think of anything except Carlisle's proposal. I wanted to lock myself away in my office for the rest of the day so that I could figure out what exactly I was going to do.

All at once it hit me. I looked around the table and realized that I knew what I had to do. Bella was my future, but I had to believe we could stand a few months apart before our life truly began--I owed Carlisle at least that.

I just hoped that Bella would feel the same way.

* * *

**Bella**

Dinner went as well as I could have hoped for. Everyone got along well and enjoyed themselves. All with the exception of Edward. I noticed he was quiet and thoughtful , hardly speaking or laughing at Emmett's jokes. I couldn't help but worry about him more and more as the night wore on.

I changed into my pajamas while Edward showed everyone to their rooms for the night. I had washed my face and just finished brushing my teeth when Edward came into the bathroom. His face was still in that horrible blank mask.

"Edward, what is going on? Are you all right?" I was going to have an anxiety attack soon if I didn't find out what was wrong with him.

He turned and looked at me, the blank look on his face gone. His face was torn, full of conflicting emotions. I gasped as his mouth crushed against mine, his hands pulling me to him. He grabbed my ass and picked me up, taking me to the bed. He threw me on the bed before he laid his body on mine. His hands tore at my tank top, ripping it away before yanking my pants down. I could barely keep up.

"Edward," I breathed. "What...is...going...on?"

He pulled his shirt off and had his pants halfway down before answering me. "I need to be inside you, Bella." His mouth met mine again, moving furiously against my lips before he broke away and trailed kisses down my neck.

"But what if someone comes downstairs," I asked, hurriedly. I was losing all control.

"You'll just have to try to be quiet, love," he murmured against my breast.

His hands worked his way down my body, his clever fingers running down my slit before plunging inside me. He moved his fingers inside me, finding my spot while his thumb worked my clit. I bit my lip in order to keep from moaning. I felt my myself tighten around his fingers and with one quick flick of his wrist, I felt the waves of my orgasm rushing through my body. He quickly rolled the condom on his dick as he moved himself to my entrance. I couldn't wait for the day we wouldn't need one. He pulled my legs back and thrust into me, causing me to see stars.

"Oh, God, Edward," I breathed. I wasn't going to be able to stay quiet for much longer.

He kept pummeling me, and I was biting my lip so hard trying to keep quiet, I could taste blood in my mouth. My muscles tightened around his dick and he moved his hand down and flicked my clit with his thumb. His mouth moved back up to mine, swallowing the moan that came out of my mouth as I got close to release again.

"Fuck me, Bella," he mumbled against my mouth. Before I could reply, he flipped us over so that I was straddling him.

I lifted myself off of him, before slowly coming back down, grinding my hips into him as I did. His hands grabbed my breasts, before moving up around my neck and pulling me down to him. He kissed me as I came back down on him again, feeling my walls tighten up again.

"Edward, I'm going to come again, " I whispered in his mouth.

He moved his hands down and lifted my hips up and slammed me back onto him. I could feel his dick grow harder as he whispered, "Come with me, Bella," pulling me up and slamming me back down again. I felt the waves of his orgasm pulse through his dick as he slammed me down again, causing me to lose control.

We laid there naked in each other's arms for a while, letting our hearts slow and our breathing to return to normal.

When I was almost asleep, I heard him clear his throat. "Bella?" he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I'm leaving." _Surely I didn't hear him correctly._

"What?" I asked, leaning up so I could see his face.

He stared at the ceiling. "I'm leaving." He took a deep breath. "Carlisle and Esme have started a new foundation. They'll be traveling all over the world helping people in remote places who don't have access to medical attention. They've asked me to go along."

"That's great!" He still wouldn't look at me.

"Bella," his voice cracked. "I'll be gone for six months." My eyes widened, and I could feel the tears building in my eyes. "I won't have any way to talk to you."

Six months? He was going to be gone for _six months_? What did this mean? Did he not want to be with me anymore? I felt my heart split at the thought, sending a strange searing pain through me.

"What do you mean?" I could barely get the words out.

"Where we're going," he stopped to compose himself. "Where we're going won't have cell phone reception, e-mail, phones, electricity, or running water. I might get a chance to send you a letter every now and then to let you know I'm okay."

I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. He really was leaving me. "When?"

"We leave on the fifteenth," he said quietly.

My brain calculated the time before he would be gone. Just over two weeks. I felt the bile rise at the back of my throat and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me, and heaved over the toilet.

"Oh, God. Oh, God," I whispered quietly as the tears blurred my vision, spilling down my cheeks. I couldn't understand it. _He doesn't want to be with me?_ Then what was before all about? A goodbye fuck?

I cringed at the brusque thought.

I got up and brushed my teeth, my chest heaving uncontrollably with the sobs that were escaping my throat.

"Bella? Love, are you all right?" I could hear the tears in his voice. I tried to answer, but I couldn't get my voice to work.

I collapsed on the floor and sobbed, unable to do anything else. I heard the door open and felt his arms wrap around me. The thought of him not wanting to be with me was too much. I'd finally let Jacob go and fell in love, only to have it shoved back in my face--brutally.

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry," he cried.

We sat like that for what seemed like hours before my sobs died down. I looked at his tear stained face and asked the only question that would come to my mind. "Why?"

New tears fell down his cheeks as he shrugged his shoulders. Seeing Edward cry nearly broke my heart all over again. "I don't know. It's just something I need to do. I don't know how to explain it." He looked down at the floor. "I'll understand if you don't want to wait for me," he whispered quietly. 

"You mean, you're not leaving me?"

"No! I could never leave you, Bella. But I'll be gone for such a long time. I can't expect you to put your life on hold while I'm halfway across the world somewhere." The fear in his eyes was so painful, it took my breath away.

The sobs threatened to erupt from my throat again, but this time it was a cry of relief. He didn't want to be without me any more than I wanted to be without him.

I took a deep breath, trying to control myself. "No, Edward. I'd wait for you forever, " I said, kissing him fiercely.

He broke away, looking at me with such joy, such relief in his eyes, I felt breathless. "I love you, Isabella. I'll miss you everyday."

"I'll miss you, too." I said, leaning my forehead against his.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Bella**

Sometime later the sun finally rose--as it always would, whether I wanted it to or not. We had moved to the bed at some point and laid in each other's arms, staring at each other as if we were afraid the other would disappear.

Edward nuzzled his nose against mine. "We'd better get up, love." I nodded my head but made no attempt to move. Edward laughed quietly. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. And I _will_ come back to you."

"I know," my voice broke, even though I had no more tears to cry. "I love you," I said, closing my eyes. It was irrational, but it felt like I needed to say it as much as possible before he left. Like I'd never get to say it again.

"As I you." He kissed me softly. "My brother and sister and your father will be leaving soon. We should probably get ready."

We got up and each took a shower before heading to the kitchen. Edward started the coffee, and I got everything out to make bacon, eggs, French toast, and sausage. We worked around the kitchen together quietly, working in tandem, like we were connected to one another.

It felt wrong to continue our daily routines even though we didn't have many days left until he would be gone. I wanted to spend every moment with him until he left--feel myself drown in him.

I heard the sounds of everyone as they started their days, getting showered, dressed, packed, and finally coming down the stairs. Emmett was the first one down the stairs.

"You two look like hell!" he remarked, laughing loudly. "You stay up all night doing the nasty?"

"Something like that," Edward muttered.

Emmett looked between Edward and I curiously. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing, Em." Edward turned away from Emmett and started the French toast.

"No, it's not nothing. What the fuck is going on with you two?" He was glowering at us.

I could see Emmett wasn't going to let it go. "Edward, you may as well tell him. He's going to know soon anyway." Emmett's eyebrows shot up at the sound of my voice. It was flat and dull.

Edward sighed and nodded. "I didn't really want to talk about it without telling Dad first, but you know the new foundation he and Mom have been trying to start?" Emmett nodded. "Well, he asked me to go. And I've decided I would."

Emmett's brows knit in confusion. "But he and Mom are going to be gone for six months." Edward nodded as Emmett processed this. "You're leaving Bella for six months?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Edward practically whispered.

"Why?"

"Dad needs me. Bella said she'd be here when I come back." He looked down, shrugging his shoulders. "It's just something I need to do. I don't know why. I can't explain it." His voice was bleak, his expression emotionless.

Emmett turned to me. "You told him you'd wait for him? For six months? Alone?" I could only nod. The look on Emmett's face was pretty scary. "What the fuck, Bella?! What are you going to do for six months while pretty boy over there saves the world? Isn't it bad enough he's going to leave you but he expects you to _wait_ for him too?"

I could see Edward's jaw twitch in anger as Emmett yelled at me but he never said a word.

_Smart man._

"He doesn't expect me to wait for him. I told him I would." Emmett scoffed. "Tell me, wouldn't you do the same for Rose? Wouldn't you wait forever for her?" I asked him passionately.

He looked down at his hands, unwilling to answer. "This is something he wants to do and I'm proud of him for it." Edward's head snapped up as I said this. "He has a chance to make a difference. Am I going to miss him? Hell yes. Every single minute of every day that he's gone, I'll miss him. But if he can help other people, even if it's just a small number, it will be worth it."

Edward crossed the room and pulled me in his arms, kissing me with such passion my head spun. "Thank you," he breathed. "I don't deserve you."

I blushed. "I love you. Even though it hurts to think of you leaving, I love you even more for wanting to do this."

His green eyes swam with emotion as he looked so deeply into mine, I thought he would be able to see straight through me. "Marry me," he breathed.

"What?" It was a collective question. Rose had walked in the room and asked at the same time as Emmett and I did.

"Isabella Marie Swan, I love you more than I could possibly have ever imagined. I'll love you every day for the rest of my life." He shook his head, unsatisfied with that. "No longer, much longer. I know this isn't exactly romantic, and it's not at all how I pictured myself proposing, but will you marry me?" His eyes were burning with love and fear as he waited for my answer.

_He wants to marry me?_

Whenever I thought about Edward and I together, it was never ending--forever. He was my destiny, as hokey as it sounded. I thought about our life together and suddenly saw myself in a white dress, with Charlie by my side, walking down the aisle to the one man who would forever hold my heart.

I felt a tear fall down my cheek. "Yes." _Holy shit._ Edward face lit up with joy. "Yes, I'll marry you," I giggled. The whole room erupted with applause.

I looked over to see that Carlisle, Esme, and Charlie had joined Rose and Emmett across the room. I buried my face in Edward's chest, blushing furiously. He pulled my face back up to his and kissed me tenderly, with all the emotion of the moment laced into it.

"So when is this wedding going to take place?" Charlie asked. He seemed happy, but skeptical.

"Uh, I don't know. What do you think?" I looked up at Edward.

"Next Christmas?" he asked me.

"Sounds perfect. It will give Alice plenty of time to plan it," I said laughing.

"Wait! She doesn't have a ring!" Rose cried.

"Oh, she'll get a ring," Edward said smugly.

"Edward! I don't need a ring."

He shook his head and looked at Carlisle. "I'm not leaving you here for six months without a ring."

"You're going?" Carlisle asked.

"Yeah. I decided last night, and Bella just reinforced the decision this morning." He was grinning from ear to ear.

He looked back at me. "I think we can make it work."

* * *

**Edward **

_She said yes, she said yes!_

It was all I could think of the whole day. Charlie left after breakfast, happier than when he arrived. I could tell he felt better knowing that I was serious about Bella, and I wasn't going to throw her out of the house at any moment. Emmett and Rose left a few hours later after many 'Congratulations' were said, but I could hardly focus on what they said.

I couldn't stop picturing Bella in a white gown, walking down the aisle towards me with that beautiful blush coloring her face as everyone watched. I couldn't wait to give her my last name.

"Edward, son, are you all right?" Carlisle asked, chuckling.

"What, huh? Yeah. I'm fine, Dad. Great actually." I laughed at myself. "Hey, will you help me pick out a ring?"

"Now?"

"Yeah. Now." I couldn't wait for the world to know that Bella Swan was marrying me.

"Okay, let's go." He was shaking his head and laughing at me.

"Let's sneak out. Bella won't let us leave if she has any clue of what I'm doing. I've got to call Alice on the way." _Can't leave the pixie out._

"Alice?"

"Bella's best friend. I need her ring size." We got into my Volvo and pulled out on the road before I flipped the phone open and dialed.

"Hello?" Alice chirped in my ear.

"Ali! How's your Thanksgiving going?" I was the only one who called her Ali. In the last month she had become the annoying little sister I never had--I loved her dearly.

"Good, well, it's okay. Jasper's mom is being a pain in the ass, but that's normal. What's up your sleeve?"

"You have to promise not to tell Bella I called." I was sure I could trust her.

"Okay," she said slowly. "Edward, what the hell is going on?"

"I proposed to Bella this morning." I cringed while I said it, waiting for the inevitable scream.

"OH MY GOD!" she squealed. I held the phone away from my ear. I would never be able to hear the same again.

The squealing continued on the other end. "Jesus, Ali, take it down a notch!" My head was starting to pound.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. So why hasn't Bella called me yet? She didn't turn you down did she? You don't sound like she did."

I laughed. "No, she said yes. But I need her ring size."

"You didn't buy her a ring! Edward Cullen what is _wrong_ with you?!"

"Nothing! I'm on my way to buy her one now. I didn't exactly plan to propose, Ali." God, now I'd have to explain the whole thing to her.

"What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.

"Well, okay..." I took a deep breath. "My parents started a foundation. I'm going to help them with it. We'll be out of the country for the next six months-"

"What?!" she screeched. I ignored her.

"So anyways, I told Bella last night and told her I loved her, but I didn't expect her to wait for me. Well, she surprised me by telling me she'd wait for me forever."

"Aw, that's so sweet. And just like her." Yes, it was.

"Well, this morning Emmett started giving her shit about it, and she told him how proud she was of me that I wanted to make a difference in the world. I knew right then I wanted to marry her, so I asked her. It wasn't how I'd planned, exactly, but it felt like the perfect time." And I wouldn't take it back.

"Where are you going?"

"Tiffany's." Of course. Bella deserves no less.

"Oooh, I'm jealous!" Her laughter tinkled through the phone. "Okay, she wears a five and a half."

"Seriously?" That seemed awfully small.

"Seriously."

"Thanks, Ali. You can't tell her I told you first. Act surprised, please!" I knew it would be important for Bella to tell Alice herself.

"You got it. I'll talk to you later. I've got to get back to the monster-in-law now."

"Bye, Ali. Love you," I said laughing.

"Love you."

I snapped the phone shut and pulled into a parking spot. I looked over at Carlisle to see him eyeing me curiously. "What?"

"You just made yourself at home, didn't you son?"

"What are you talking about?"

He sighed. "Well, you've got a fiancée now and you treat her best friend like she's your sister and you've only lived here for five months. Now I have to break it to your mother that you're never coming home."

I laughed. "I think she figured that out this morning, Dad."

We walked into the store and I quickly made my way to the engagement rings. I looked at the case for a moment before I saw it.

"That one."

Carlisle looked at it and smiled. "It's perfect."

* * *

**Bella**

"Where did they go?" Edward and Carlisle had literally disappeared. I couldn't find them anywhere.

"I have no idea." Esme sat on the couch. "Come sit with me for a minute."

"All right." I sat down next to her and she pulled my hands into hers.

"Are you sure about all this?"

"What do you mean? Sure about what?" I had no idea what she meant. Was she talking about the engagement or the fact that Edward was leaving for six months?

"Edward," she said simply.

I looked her in those pale green eyes that reminded me so much of Edward's. "Yes. Without a doubt."

"Good," she said as she patted my hand. "I want to apologize for taking him away from you."

I furrowed my brows. "I don't understand."

"I asked Carlisle to find someone else who specialized in emergency medicine but he wouldn't listen. You two are just getting started, and it's not fair to take Edward away from you for so long." She paused, looking down. "But you are so wonderful to just let him go. Most women wouldn't do that. Most women would have given him an ultimatum."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Esme. I'm not happy he's going. Who would be? In fact, I spent most of the night last night crying about it. But he felt he needed to go. Who am I to tell him no? If I gave him an ultimatum, I know his choice would have been me.

"But it's not fair to Edward to make him choose. I'll be here when he gets back. I'm not going anywhere. I'll never go anywhere. And I realized this morning that it would be extremely selfish of me to demand him to stay with me when he could be out there somewhere helping some stranger. My heart will break when he leaves, but I'll get through it. We'll be stronger because of it. And I'll be so proud of him when he comes back home."

I had been staring at the floor the entire time, afraid I wouldn't be able to get out the words. I looked back up at Esme and saw she had tears in her eyes.

"I couldn't be happier that you're going to be my daughter. Thank you, Bella, for loving my son."

* * *

I sat on the bed, phone in my hand, working up the nerve to call Reneé. I heard footsteps coming closer before the door opened and Edward came walking through the door, grinning from ear to ear.

"Where did you run off to this afternoon?"

"I just had some things to take care of." He shrugged. "What's my fiancée up to this afternoon?"

I giggled. "Your fiancée is just trying to figure out how to tell Reneé she's engaged."

"Ah. Well, let me help you with that. You open the phone and dial the number. Then you speak the words."

"Haha." I went to playfully slap his chest, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me into a kiss. "What was that for?" I mumbled against his lips.

"Because I felt like it." He smirked before turning serious. "So, I called the hospital while I was out."

"Yeah?" I wasn't sure I wanted to talk about this.

"They're giving me a leave of absence. I'll have my job back when I come home."

"Really? That's great."

"Yeah. It's making this all very real." He took a deep breath. "How am I going to live without you for six months?" His green eyes were somehow gentle and fierce, all at the same time.

I breathed out shakily. "The same way I'm going to live without you for six months. One day at a time."

He nodded his head and blew out a breath. "I can't thank you enough for being so wonderful about this."

"Well, I'm not wonderful. I just love you. I'm not going to ask you to sacrifice something you feel you need to do for me. We'll get through it." And we would. It would be hard, but we'd get through it.

"So, uh, when does this leave of absence start?" I needed to think of something other than how my heart would shatter when he got on that plane.

"Now." I gave him a puzzled look, and he grinned widely. "It starts immediately so that I can get everything in order before I go. That means I get to spend every night with you until I leave, love."

Two weeks. Two weeks of Edward and I spending every night in the same bed. We'd never had more than two nights in a row together before. His schedule at the hospital was constantly changing.

I was beaming. "That's great! You don't think you'll get sick of me before you go, do you?" I asked teasingly.

"Oh, absolutely. God, to spend every night next to the woman I love is torture," he said sarcastically. He kissed the end of my nose. "Now, you'd better make those calls." He grinned crookedly at me.

I called all my friends and family; everyone was more supportive than I could have ever imagined. They were concerned that Edward was leaving for six months, but never doubted my decision to marry him for one minute.

Carlisle and Esme's flight was scheduled to depart in two hours. Edward was helping Carlisle put their suitcases in the rental car when Esme pulled me to the side. "Bella, I can't tell you how much Carlisle and I will miss you."

I was surprised, but I felt the same. She was like the mother I'd never had. My own relationship with Reneé had been somewhat reversed. I was always the one taking care of her.

"I'll miss you, too."

"I'll take good care of Edward for you while we're gone. I promise." And I knew she would. She would make sure he came back in one piece, just as he'd left.

"I know. Thank you."

Edward and Carlisle walked back over to where we were standing. "Well, I think that's it. We'd better get going," Carlisle said as he took Esme's hand. "Bella, welcome to the family." He smiled warmly at me.

Edward wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck. "Thank you. Have a safe trip," I told them.

We all gave our well wishes and said our goodbyes. Edward and I stood on the porch watching them leave. "We're all alone now, love." I could feel his smile against my neck.

"Yes, we are. What should we do?" I was giggling again. I was going to have to stop doing that. I'd never been a giggler--why start now?

He picked me up and carried me bridal style back into the house. "Oh, I have some ideas," he said, grinning mischievously.

"Oh, really? What did you have in mind?"

"I plan to make love to you every possible minute until I leave," he said before throwing me on the bed. "You know, we haven't christened much of the house yet," he said smirking.

"Hmm, I suppose you're right." I looked at him as seductively as I could. "We should get to work on that."

"All right." He picked me back up and took me to the dining room, laying me on the table. "How's this for a start?" he asked as he crushed his mouth to mine.

"Perfect," I said, smiling against his lips.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you SO much for all the reviews! I thought I'd update again since I won't be able to for a few days. For those of you at work: LEMON ALERT. **

* * *

Chapter 14

**Edward**

I looked at the clock. Bella would be home in ten minutes.

For the last two weeks, I had spent the time that Bella was at work getting everything in order. Ignoring her protests, I added Bella's name to my checking account, so that she had a way to pay the bills while I was gone. I secretly visited a lawyer and had a will drawn, leaving everything to Bella, in case something were to happen to me. I needed to know she would be safe--no matter what--when I left.

She'd talked about moving out--living with Alice and Jasper--while I was gone, but after a few small arguments and a whole lot of begging, I finally convinced her to stay. This was her home as much as it was mine; there was no need for her to feel like she needed to leave with me. We had every intention of starting our life together when I came back. It only made sense to me that she didn't turn her life inside out only to move back when I did.

Plus, I got the added bonus of my house smelling like her.

When she was home, I spent every waking minute making love to her and pampering her, showing her just how much she meant to me and how much I'd miss her. My time was almost out; my bags were practically packed. I had two days left before I would basically be leaving behind a piece of my soul and traveling around the world with Carlisle and Esme and their team of doctors for six months.

I looked around and mentally checked everything off my list. I had made Bella dinner, Esme's recipe for roast beef with carrots and potatoes, and had made some bread and salad to go with it. Everything was set up at the end of the dining room table. I lit the candles and poured the wine into the glasses. I went into the bedroom and saw the pink rose pedals I had spread over the bed and smiled. Cliché, but she would love it. I lit the candles I had placed around the room and checked my watch. Five minutes left. I walked back to the kitchen and waited by the door for Bella to come in from the garage.

My left hand went into my pocket, feeling the turquoise box that held the ring I'd picked out for her. It was white gold, with a two and a half carat emerald cut diamond with two smaller emerald cut diamonds flanking it. After picking out the practically flawless diamonds, it had put quite a dent in my checking account, but it would be worth it to see it on her finger for the rest of our lives.

I heard the garage door open and broke out into a cold sweat.

_Calm down, you idiot. She already said yes._

I couldn't help the nerves that overcame my body as I heard the car door shut. I had managed to keep tonight a secret, telling Bella that I wanted to exchange our Christmas gifts to one another and nothing more.

She walked through the door and my heart dropped into my stomach. Her hair was in sexy, tousled waves, her eyes were rimmed with a smoky charcoal color and her lips were that perfect pale pink gloss I loved so much. She was dressed in a deep red turtleneck sweater dress that hung on her body perfectly, accentuating all her mouth watering curves. I felt my mouth form a broad smile as I took her in.

I pulled her into my arms and breathed in her scent.

_God, I'll miss this._

I felt tears threaten to form in my eyes, and I pushed the thought out of my mind. I could break down on the plane.

"Hello, love," I whispered in her ear.

She pulled back and looked at me questioningly. "Hi. So Alice came to the library and dressed me up before I left. What do you have planned?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked around the room, but nothing was out of place. I had already cleaned everything up.

"Nothing," I said innocently and smiled. "Come with me." I led her into the dining room and pulled out a chair for her. "Sit down. I made dinner."

"You cooked?" she asked in disbelief as she sat down. She knew I could cook, but when she moved in, she took over my kitchen. I never argued because she was incredibly sexy when she cooked.

"Yes," I said, laughing. "Now, eat it before it gets cold."

We ate in silence. I couldn't get my brain to function properly to hold a conversation. I couldn't even _think_ straight. I was too nervous. It was all I could do to keep the fork from shaking out of my hand.

"Edward," she asked when she was finished. "What is going on? You're so quiet."

"I am, aren't I? I'm sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind," I said, smirking. She raised her eyebrows but said nothing. "Are you finished?"

"Yes. It was great. Thank you."

I nodded. "You'll have to tell Esme. She told me what to do." I stood up, wiping my sweaty palms on my black pants before holding my hands out to her. "Let's go."

"Where are we going?" I led her to my Volvo.

"I have a surprise for you." I cringed, waiting for her reaction. She didn't disappoint.

"Edward! You know I hate surprises!" She crossed her arms across her chest as she sat down in the car. I couldn't help but laugh at her.

I went to the driver's side and got in, starting the car before I said anything. "I know you hate surprises, but you'll love this one. I promise."

"Hmph." I had to put Herculean effort into not laughing at her again. I knew it would only make things worse for myself.

She kept silent until we pulled into the parking lot and I pulled into a space. She looked at the dance studio and scoffed. "Edward, I already proved to you I can't dance the last time we were here."

I leaned over and kissed her gently on her lips before looking directly into her eyes. "I know, but I think it would be worth your time if you came inside with me." She was still frowning. "Please?"

She grumbled something unintelligible before finally exhaling loudly. "Fine." _Well, it's better than 'No'._

"You look amazing, by the way." I said as I put my hand on the small of her back and led her into the studio.

"Thanks," she said, blushing. _God, I love it when she does that._ She looked around, her brows knit in confusion. "Where's um... Um...?"

"Irina?" I prompted.

"Yeah, sorry," she said sheepishly.

"Just giving us our privacy." We had made our way to the room I'd reserved on our first _real_ date. I had to press my lips together to keep from spoiling the surprise. I opened the door and could smell the flowers. I turned to Bella. "Could you get the lights for me, love? I'm going to get the stereo set up."

She glared at me for a moment before walking to the switch. She turned the lights on and her mouth dropped open. "Edward!" she gasped. "How did you... When did you...?" She seemed to be speechless.

I looked around the room and smiled.

_Alice is a genius_.

She had rigged the switch to turn on the thousands of twinkling lights that hung behind the midnight blue gossamer fabric that started from the center of the ceiling and billowed down to the walls, to look like a Moroccan tent, before it cascaded down the walls. The entire room was filled with exotic flowers, many of which I had never seen before. It smelled like heaven.

"Alice did it."

"Figures," she muttered.

The playlist I'd made for tonight started playing in the background. I walked over to her and pulled her close. "Dance with me," I murmured. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I leaned down to breathe her in.

"Bella," I whispered, closing my eyes. Everything I'd felt that first night with her came flooding back to me. We swayed our bodies to the music while I worked out what I wanted to say in my head. "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"No," she breathed shakily. _Ah, now _she _was nervous._

I chuckled silently to myself before continuing. "I wanted to do this right." I met her gaze and could see the fear in them. "Keep in mind you've already said yes." I dropped down to one knee and pulled the box out of my pocket.

"Edward," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Isabella Marie Swan, I knew from the moment I saw you that you were meant for me. When I danced with you for the first time in this room, you felt so perfect, so right in my arms, I knew I'd never want to let you go. I fell in love with you that night. I would give anything, _everything_, just to be with you. I want to share the rest of my life with you, have beautiful babies with you, grow old with you. You are my life, my soul, my love. From now until forever. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?" I opened up the box and waited.

She looked at me with so much love in her eyes, I thought my heart would leap out of my chest. Tears fell down her cheeks as she nodded. "Yes. I love you."

I slipped the ring on her finger and stood up, pulling her into my arms. I leaned down and kissed her, softly, before the emotion of the moment caused our kiss to deepen. When we finally separated, we were both breathless.

"Thank you. You don't know how happy you've made me," I said before resting my forehead against hers. We slowly danced as the music shuffled through the playlist. We stayed like that, lost in each other's eyes, reveling in the moment before I finally pulled away and glanced at my watch.

"We've been here for three hours," I murmured, surprised.

"We what?" Her eyes were wide with shock, and she was laughing.

I joined in. "Ready to go home?"

"Yeah."

We pulled into the garage, and I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me before she could go inside. "Should we exchange presents as planned now?" I rubbed my thumb across her bottom lip.

"Edward." She looked at the ring that now sat perfectly on her left hand. "You've done enough. I don't need anything else. This was wonderful."

"I know. But I have something to give you anyway." She glared at me. "I didn't spend any money on it, I promise."

"Oh, all right." She marched--there was no other way to describe it really--into the house leaving me behind. "You coming?" she called just before the door shut.

I shook my head and laughed to myself for a moment before following her into the living room.

She was sitting in front of the tree we had decorated together, fidgeting nervously with her dress. She had a gold package in her lap.

"Bella? What's the matter?" I asked as I sat next to her.

"I just... I don't know if you'll like it. I didn't know what to get you. I mean, what do you get a man who has everything?"

I chuckled. "Bella, you're rambling." I took her hands in mine. "I'm sure I'll love it. I'd love anything you gave me."

"Yeah, okay." She pulled her hands from mine and handed me the present.

I ripped the paper away and felt tears burn in the back of my eyes. Inside was a framed picture that had been taken in the car on our way to Forks that first weekend we spent together. We were both laughing and smiling at each other when Alice snapped the picture.

"Bella, it's great. Better than anything you could have bought me." I took a deep breath before I looked up at her. "Thank you."

"I made myself one, too. I'm going to put it on the nightstand in the bedroom, so I can look at you every night before I fall to sleep while you're gone." Her voice shook. "I thought maybe it would be nice to have a picture of us with you wherever you go." She looked down, blushing.

"Bella." I pulled her face up to see tears falling down her cheeks. I reached over and wiped the tears away. "I'll keep it with me always. I'll know every time I look at it that I am coming home to the most amazingly beautiful, caring, smart, funny woman that--by some miracle--loves me back. So, again. It's perfect. Thank you." She sniffled and nodded. "Now, it's your turn." I reached under the tree and pulled out the velvet box. "Remember, I didn't spend anything on it."

She looked at me curiously as she took it from my hands. She removed the ribbon I had tied around it and opened it. "Oh, my God," she whispered, lightly running her fingers over the bracelet. "It's beautiful. But if you didn't spend any money on it, how did you get it?"

"It was my great-grandmother's. It's part of a set. Carlisle inherited the set when she died. Carlisle gave Esme the ring, Emmett gave Rose the necklace, and I'm giving the bracelet to you. I had him get it out of the safety deposit box and bring it with him from Chicago when he came to visit last month. He and Esme stopped on their way here and had it cleaned for me." I took the bracelet out of the box and clasped it around her wrist.

"Thank you," she said as she leaned in to kiss me.

The kiss was slow, sinuous. It gradually built as our lips moved together, becoming needy, passionate. I broke away and moved my mouth to her ear.

"I want to make love to you, Bella." I felt her body shiver and couldn't help but smile. I pulled her up and grabbed her hand, my lips brushing against her knuckles, as I led her to the bedroom.

She walked into the candlelit room and looked around. Her gaze locked on the rose petals scattered across our bed and her lips curved. "This is beautiful, Edward." She snuck a sideways glance at me. "I almost hate to mess it up."

"Really? We can go to one of the other bedrooms if you don't want..." I trailed off when I saw the expression on her face.

She walked over to me and brought her hands to my face. "I said almost," she smirked. I raised my eyebrows before kissing her fervently. Every emotion, all the love I felt in that moment, poured into the kiss. As our tongues danced together, I felt myself surrendering to that wonderful pull. I would never be able to stay away from her.

Six months was going to kill me.

My body demanded more, and I gently nipped her bottom lip as my hands moved down her body to the hem of her dress. I trailed kisses across her jaw, moving to her ear and nibbled as my hands made their way up her smooth, creamy thighs and rested on her ass.

"Shit, Bella! You're not wearing any underwear!" My dick was suddenly throbbing against the constraints of my pants.

She giggled against my neck. "The ones I had on left panty lines, so Alice made me go commando."

_I must remember to thank that little pixie._

I moved my hands across her hips and ran my fingers down her teasingly before pulling the dress up over her head.

My mouth moved back to hers as she fumbled with the buttons on my shirt. She finally undid them all and moved the shirt down my shoulders, running her hands softly down my arms as the shirt fell off my body. I shivered at her light touch and reached around her back to unclasp her bra. I pulled the bra off of her body as she unbuttoned and unzipped my pants, causing them to fall at my feet. I kicked them off as I moved her to the bed, laying her down gently, before climbing on top of her. She smelled so good; her skin was so warm, so soft, I wanted to taste every inch of it.

"I want to taste you, Bella." I saw her eyes widen as I brought her hand to my mouth.

I licked and sucked every finger before licking my way to the crook of her elbow, where I kissed it before moving up toward her neck. I lingered at her neck, nipping and sucking gently, before I moved down to her breast, gently tugging her nipple with my fingers as I moved my mouth down her stomach. I skipped over her most sensitive area, saving it for last, and brought her foot to my mouth, repeating everything I'd previously done on her arm before I made it to her inner thigh. I licked the juncture of her thigh, causing her to gasp.

"Edward," she whispered.

I pushed her legs apart with my hand as I softly trailed my tongue up her wet flesh. "Bella, you taste so good. So sweet."

She gasped as I plunged my fingers inside of her. I kept working her body with my mouth, using my fingers in tandem with my tongue until I felt her hips buck. She trembled beneath me, making incoherent noises as she got closer to her climax.

"Oh, God, Edward!" she cried out as she came.

I kissed up her stomach as I moved myself to her entrance. I took her breast in my mouth, massaging with my hand as I flicked her nipple with my tongue. "I want to be inside you, Bella." She bit her lip and nodded. "Are you ready for me, love?" I asked huskily.

"Yes," she breathed. I quickly put on a condom.

"Say it." I needed to hear those sweet words on her lips.

"I need you, Edward. Make love to me." Her eyes were dark with desire.

I pushed myself into her and groaned. "God, you feel so good." I had to focus on not coming right then and there.

I thrusted in and out of her, shifting our bodies slightly so that I was hitting her most sensitive area. She groaned my name as we got lost in each other making me instantly harder just hearing her.

"Fuck, Bella!" I couldn't control it any longer. I screamed something incoherent as my orgasm rippled through my body, and I felt her shudder beneath me with her own orgasm. I collapsed on top of her, our bodies still tangled together as one and nuzzled her neck.

I looked at her face and saw a tear fall down her cheek. "What's wrong?" I asked as I cupped her face in my hand and kissed her gently.

"Nothing." She closed her eyes. "I'm just so happy right now."

I smiled. "So am I," I told her as I bent to kiss her.

Our lips moved together and I felt myself getting hard inside her. I chuckled. "What's so funny?" she murmured against my mouth.

"Apparently, I'm not finished with you yet."

She cocked her eyebrow. "Is that so?" Before I could answer her, she pulled me back into the kiss, moving her hips upwards, abruptly cutting off the conversation.

* * *

**Bella**

The entire weekend was a blur. Edward and I spent all our time in bed, worshiping each other, only to get up for mundane needs like bathroom breaks and food.

I was just on the edge of consciousness when I heard Edward's alarm clock beeping. "Ugh, turn it off," I mumbled, curling myself into him. "It's Monday. I get to sleep in. I have the day off"

I felt Edward shift underneath me as he reached over to turn off the alarm clock. He was laughing at me while he did so. "Bella, it's seven. I have to get up and finish packing. My flight leaves at twelve-forty."

Reality set in. Edward was leaving today. "Shit," I breathed.

"I know," he said just as quietly. We laid there in silence, our hands intertwined, while he played with my engagement ring. "I'd better get up. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yeah," I said weakly. "I think I'll take a shower." He kissed me on my forehead before releasing me from his arms.

I turned on the water and brushed my teeth. I stepped into the stream and let the water pound my back. My brain kept circling around the fact I only had a few more hours left with Edward before he was gone, in essence out of my life, for six months. How am I going to cope? I was just one half of the whole. Without Edward, I was incomplete.

Edward stepped into the shower and wrapped his arms around me.

I turned to face him. "What are you doing?" I asked, though I was pretty sure I already knew.

"Just conserving water," he said mischievously. I laughed. "Actually, I need a shower."

I knew he was being honest but the look in his eyes told me that was not all he had planned. I felt the same. I needed to be with him one last time before we said our goodbyes. He quickly washed off while I washed my hair.

"So, what happened to breakfast?"

He reached over and grabbed my loufa and body wash. "It can wait," he said as he shrugged.

He ran the loufa down my arms and legs, tracing circular patterns across my stomach and breasts before he turned me around and trailed soap across my back, working his way down to my ass.

"You have such a great ass." He squeezed it.

"What?" I asked, laughing.

"It's so round, so smooth, so perky, I just want to bite it."

I was laughing even harder. "You want to literally bite it?"

"Yeah." His hands were lingering on my supposed great ass.

"Be my guest." I turned my head to look at him behind me. He looked at me with a shocked expression on his face before he grinned crookedly. He crouched down and gently bit my right cheek. I giggled and he stood back up, grinning from ear to ear. "Was it as good as you thought it would be?"

"Better." I turned around and saw that the smile was gone, in its place was need, so acute I could see the pain in his eyes.

He rushed me, pushing me back against the wall of the shower as his hands cupped my face. In an instant, his mouth was on mine, kissing me so deeply I found myself gasping for air. His hands moved to my hips and he squeezed before picking me up so that I was straddling him.

Before I could register the movement, he thrust into me, sending shockwaves through my body.

"Edward!" I gasped.

I closed my eyes as he rhythmically drove himself into me, the emotions and sensations so strong, they battered my senses, leaving me disoriented.

"Bella," he grunted. "Look at me."

I forced myself to open my eyes and lost all control as I looked into those piercing green eyes. My body shuddered with my orgasm while my chest started to heave with the sobs that were escaping my throat.

I tried not to think about how much pain I'd be in when he left and control my tears, because I knew he'd come back to me and that it wasn't forever, but it didn't matter. He'd managed to mean so much to me in such a short time, I already felt somewhat lost--and he hadn't even left yet.

He came with a groan and released inside me. "I love you," I managed to choke out while I was still staring into his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears. He held me in his arms, my head resting on his shoulder, while the water ran over us.

We stayed like that until the water ran cold. We silently got out and toweled off before getting dressed. When we were through, Edward took my hand and started to lead me to the kitchen.

"I'll be there in just a second." I pulled my hand from his.

He looked at me, confused, before turning and walking away. I went to the bed and sat down, grabbing my cell phone off the nightstand. I needed to talk to Alice.

"Hey, Bella!" she chirped in my ear.

"Hi, Alice," I said, my voice shaking with the tears that threatened to fall again.

"Are you all right?"

"No." The tears were falling now. "I... I... need you to meet me at the airport."

"Of course. What time does his flight leave?"

"Twelve forty," I sniffled.

"I'll be there. Bella, you'll be fine. He loves you. He'll be back for you."

"I know, but I don't know if I can make it through this." I was gasping for air in short breaths almost like I was getting ready to hyperventilate.

I ground my teeth together and focused on calming down. I couldn't fall apart like this.

"Yes, you can. Jasper and I will be here for you. Emmett and Rose said you can come to Chicago and spend some time with them whenever you want. You'll get through it. You just have to remember it's not permanent."

"Yeah. Okay. I'll see you in a little while." I snapped the phone shut and curled up on the bed, crying softly into the pillow and purging the dismal sadness that overtook me.

I made a trip back into the bathroom to pull my now ruined hair up and stared at my hollow expression in the mirror. I splashed cold water on my face and even grabbed some of the Visine Edward had in the cabinet, but I still looked awful. I was splotchy and my eyes were red and swollen from crying so much.

I was a mess--plain and simple.

I managed to control the tears for the rest of the morning. If Edward knew something was wrong, he didn't let on. Perhaps it was better that he kept silent. I was sure if he mentioned anything about the pathetic scene in the shower or asked what happened when he left the bedroom, I'd lose it all over again.

* * *

We arrived at the airport an hour and a half before his flight was scheduled to depart. Edward spotted Jasper's Mercedes SUV on the way inside. "Is that Jasper's car?" he asked, pointing to the SUV with the hand that still held mine.

"Yeah. I asked Alice to meet me here," I said quietly, looking down.

He let out a shaky breath and nodded. "Before I forget, here are the keys to the car." His face was set in a steely frown as he handed them to me.

I looked around the airport, feeling like I was in a daze. I was walking, but I didn't feel it. I was numb. It was like I was watching two characters in a movie, knowing that soon they would be feeling the pain and sorrow of their goodbyes, but their emotions didn't affect me. I was on the outside.

We walked to the check-in counter. I looked around and saw Alice and Jasper. "There's Alice and Jasper," I said nodding in their direction.

"Good." He exhaled sharply. "Okay." I looked at him quizically but he never explained.

He finished checking his bag and got his boarding pass. We walked over to where Alice and Jasper were waiting.

"Hey, Bells. Edward," Jasper said calmly.

"Hey, Jazz," I replied.

Edward said nothing.

I turned to Alice. She smiled before giving me a hug. "How are you doing?" she whispered in my ear.

"It's like it's not real. Like it's not happening to me. It feels like I'm watching someone else." I shrugged. I didn't know how to explain it.

"Maybe that's for the best," she said gently.

"Maybe." But I knew it wouldn't last.

I broke away from Alice so that Edward could pull me back into his arms. We stayed like that--clinging to each other--for a while before he spoke. "You can't go past the security checkpoint without a boarding pass," he said, softly.

There it was. That fissure in my heart as it all began to feel real again. Hot tears brimmed in my eyes even though I hadn't felt like crying yet. But I could feel it coming. Something strong, something fierce threatened to break the dam inside me.

He cupped my face in his hands and looked at me closely. "I don't... I don't know how to say goodbye." He closed his eyes and rest his forehead on mine.

"I know," I replied unsteadily.

I concentrated on his face as it formed a mask of pain, very much like my own. The tears I'd managed to keep at bay finally spilled over and fell down my face, dropping onto his hands.

He opened his eyes, now full of tears. "I'm so sorry," he said, his voice breaking.

I wanted to beg him not to go. To tell him to stay with me; I knew he would. But I couldn't do that to him. I couldn't do it to myself. I needed to stop being so weak and let him go. Let him do this for himself and his parents. We had the rest of our lives to be together, I repeated to myself--almost like a mantra. I could manage six measly months.

"I know," I told him, instead of falling to my knees and pleading unabashedly like my heart so desperately wanted me to.

He grabbed my left hand and played with the ring he gave me. "Thank you for saying yes." I felt my forehead crease in confusion. "Knowing I'm coming home to you, to our life together, will be the only thing that will keep me sane for the next few months. I want you to know, if this wasn't my father's project, I would never have considered leaving you. Not even for a day." He looked at me pleadingly. "But he's my family. I have to help any way I can." He paused, taking a deep breath. "You are the reason I'm alive. Without you, I'm nothing, just a hollow shell."

His lips parted mine, kissing me with such fervor, my knees went weak. I could feel the tears falling freely down my cheeks again. He broke away and nuzzled my nose with his.

"I'll miss you every day you're gone," I cried.

"I'll miss you." He took a deep breath. "Isabella, I'm leaving my heart with you. Take care of it for me while I'm gone. I love you."

"I love you."

He turned and gave Jasper and Alice each a hug. "Take care of her for me?" he asked, a lone tear streaming down his face.

"Of course," Jasper answered. Alice was crying and could only nod.

He came back to me and kissed me again. "Goodbye, love," he whispered before turning away.

Jasper put his arm around me as we watched Edward go through security. Once he was through, he gave us a half-hearted wave before he disappeared.

"Oh, God." My heart felt like it'd been ripped into a million tiny shreds. The pain was so severe, I crumbled against Jasper.

"Bella, shh. It's all right. He'll be back," Jasper said, holding me tightly against him so that I didn't fall.

"I can't do it. Can't stand it," I mumbled, quickly becoming incoherent.

The world around me seem to shake, vibrating around me. I heard a strange noise; it was almost as if something was being strangled. I could vaguely hear Alice call my name but my head was swimming. I couldn't hear anything around me, the blood was pounding so loudly through my body. The strange noise continued.

_Oh, it's me,_ I realized.

I suddenly felt like I couldn't catch my breath. I gasped for air and reached my hands to my throat.

"I... I..." It was no use. I couldn't get the words out. The room was spinning around me, and I collapsed near fainting from the bruising ache that beat through me.

_Turn around. Come back,_ I thought wildly, only to take it back as soon as the thought has crossed my mind. He didn't need to see me like this--pitiful and hurting.

"Bella!" Alice cried as Jasper pulled me into his arms. I saw the large fluorescent lights on the ceiling as we rushed by, before being consumed by a total, welcomed darkness.

* * *

**Edward**

I got on the plane and took my seat. Since I knew I would be in no shape to speak to anyone, I had reserved two first class seats for the flight to JFK, where I would meet up with Carlisle and Esme before we made our way to London. I wasn't sure where we would go after that. Somewhere in China supposedly.

I got my iPod out of my carry-on bag before stowing it under the seat in front of me and buckling my seat belt. I saw the flight attendant watching me from the corner of my eye, but I was too miserable to be polite and say anything.

I watched the other passengers get on the plane, feeling the ache in my chest grow stronger the closer we got to take-off. I put the ear buds in my ears and turned on the playlist Bella had made for me a few weeks ago. Claire de Lune was the first song that played. I closed my eyes and saw Bella's face behind my lids, sending a tear down my cheek.

The plane finally took off, and the ache in my chest grew stronger. It felt like I had a gaping hole where my heart had been. I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe. I had to concentrate on taking slow, deep breaths, so that I didn't hyperventilate.

_What am I doing? Why am I doing this?_

I hadn't even made it two hours before falling apart. Tears came to my eyes, and I struggled to regain control. I needed to keep control. I needed to do this for my father. For my mother. And maybe even for myself, but I wasn't sure of that yet.

I stared at my hands for what felt like hours. Finally, I saw the flight attendant come over. She stopped at my row and smiled broadly at me. I paused my iPod, raising my eyebrows as I looked at her.

"Hi, my name's Laura. I'll be the flight attendant here in first class. Is there anything I can get you before we take off?"

"No." I looked back out the window.

"I'm sorry, sir, but are you all right?" I looked back at her. She looked genuinely concerned.

"No. I'm not." I didn't have anything to say to this woman.

She looked at me torn for a moment before sitting in the empty seat next to me.

_What the fuck? Take a hint! Go away!_

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?" I couldn't tell if she was hitting on me or just good at her job.

I thought for a moment. "Actually, there is something you can get for me." _Bella._ "I'd like a rum and coke, please." Maybe some alcohol will help dull the excruciating pain where my heart used to be.

She nodded and got up. I sat in the seat and stared towards the front of the plane. I couldn't seem to do anything else. I felt lost. I saw her come back and turned my head back to her.

"Here you go," she said, handing me the drink.

"Thanks. How much?" I reached to get my wallet.

"It's on me," she said smiling sweetly as she sat back down. I looked into her brown eyes. They didn't hold a fraction of the beauty that Bella's did.

"Why?"

"You seem like a nice guy." She shrugged. _Great, she's hitting on me._

"Look, I'm sorry.... Laura?" She nodded. "But I just left my fiancée back in Seattle while I'll be gone for six months. I'm trying not to be rude, but unless you want me to break down and scare the other passengers, I suggest you leave me alone. I'll let you know if I need a refill." I turned back to the window, closing my eyes.

"Sorry," she muttered as she left. _Great. Not only am I miserable, I'm a dick._ I turned the iPod back on and felt the tears build up in my eyes again.

This time, I let them fall.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you so much for all the reviews!!! I really appreciate it! So, the next few chapters are going to mostly be in BPOV, but I'll make up for it later, I promise ;) There's just a lot more going on with B than E while he's away.**

**Some of you guys guessed what's happening, but I won't be specific as to which ideas were right-that would take the fun out of it!. Also, Doctors W/O Borders was where I got the idea for the Cullen's new charity--only in my fictional world that doesn't exist yet...**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

***Oh--I forgot to mention I have NOT read At First Sight...any similarities were purely coincidental...thanks to skyeblue0610 for pointing that out--I don't want anyone to think I copied their fic!**

* * *

Chapter 15

**Bella**

The rest of the week was hazy. It was like I was having an out of body experience. I went through the motions of my life, but it was like I wasn't here. I was broken--lifeless. All I wanted to do was sleep and escape the blistering ache that I held inside me. When I wasn't sleeping, I managed to pull myself out of bed to take a shower only to come crawling right back into bed again.

I was staying at Alice and Jasper's. They had brought me here from the airport on Sunday instead of taking me home; I was in no shape to be alone. Not only that, but I couldn't bear to see the empty house that I'd shared with Edward. Everything from the kitchen to the scent of his clothes was liable to cause me to break down again.

It was now Saturday. In six days, I had yet to feel any better.

Edward had called from London early Monday morning, but I was in no condition to talk to him. Alice had told him I'd been crying all night and was so deeply asleep, she couldn't wake me. If only that were the half of it. It was more like I was catatonic. There was no way I could have uttered a single sentence at that point without screaming out with the agony I was sure to feel at the sound of his voice. It was better to stay as one of the living dead than to feel that mind-splitting pain.

I mentally berated myself all week that I'd missed talking to him. There was no guarantee that it would be possible again until he came back in June, but I knew it was for the best. If he'd have heard how thick and hoarse I was from crying, he'd have turned back and come home.

And believe it or not, I didn't want that at all. I wanted him to be able to figure out what it was that made him feel like he had to go. Why he felt so obligated to help his parents and hopefully come back a better person--though I wasn't sure how that would be possible; Edward was an amazing person.

I went downstairs and found Alice in the kitchen. "Hey, Bella!" I just waved. "I stopped by your house this morning. I got your mail from yesterday out of the box and found the information for your flight to Jacksonville on Wednesday."

Shit, Jacksonville.

"Also, there was a message on your machine saying that your doctor's appointment has been rescheduled to the sixteenth at nine. If that doesn't work for you, they want you to call them back." She paused. "What are you going to the doctor for?"

I poured myself a cup of coffee and barked out a brittle laugh. "Birth control," I muttered.

_Like I needed it now._

"You should still go. He_ is_ coming back you know." I nodded and stayed silent again. "So, um, Jasper and I got you something for Christmas. I want to make sure you get it before you go."

"Okay. I got you guys something, too," I mumbled.

Before Edward left, I'd gotten my Christmas shopping done which now, I was very thankful for. The thought of Christmas--of everyone celebrating their happiness with loved ones and family--made me want to go Dickens and ruin it for everyone. I had this intense need to make everyone feel as miserable as I did, but realistically, would never do that to anyone. It wasn't fair to destroy their holiday simply because I was a mess.

And I had to admit it was only my fault that I was so miserable. I didn't have to dwell on the ache I felt without Edward near, but doing so felt like I was allowing something to come between us. A ridiculous notion, but that was how I was perceiving things at the moment.

Like I said, I was a mess.

"Really?" She seemed surprised.

"Of course." I put the mug in the sink. "I'm going to go back to bed." I just couldn't do it. Not today.

"Bella." I turned and looked back at Alice. "You've got to get it together. You can't keep this up."

"I know."

* * *

I slept through the entire flight to Jacksonville. I made my way through the airport to the baggage claim, stopping in the bathroom to splash some water on my face and pull my hair back into a messy ponytail.

_You look like shit_, I thought as I stared at my broken expression in the mirror. _It's just as well. It's a reflection of how you feel inside._

I saw Reneé and Phil standing by the carousel that my suitcase would be on. "Hi, guys," I said, walking up to them.

"Bella! Oh, baby, I've missed you!" She pulled me into a hug then cupped my face. "Bella, you look awful! Are you sick?"

"I feel awful," I mumbled. "But I'm not sick." I didn't want to talk about it. Thankfully, the carousel started moving. "They're starting to put the luggage out."

We walked closer the carousel and watched the suitcases go by, waiting for mine. "So let me see this ring." I held out my hand. "Oh, my God, Bella! It's gorgeous. It must've cost a fortune!"

I smiled half-heartedly. "Probably." Knowing Edward, it did.

I pointed out my suitcase and Phil grabbed it for me before we walked to where their car was parked. I sat in the backseat and laid my head against the window, closing my eyes. Before I knew it, we were pulling into the driveway.

"Bella, we're here," Reneé said, softly.

I opened my eyes and yawned. Damn, I fell asleep again. "Yeah, okay."

We got out of the car and walked into the house. "You need anything, Bells?" Phil asked me.

"No. I'm just going to go to my room for a while. I'm still tired." I saw a look pass between Reneé and Phil before I walked away, but ignored it. It didn't matter what they thought. I'd talk to them later.

I flopped on my bed and closed my eyes. But I didn't sleep. Instead, I curled into a ball and cried silently into my pillow. _Would this ever get any easier?_ I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. It even hurt to breathe.

After a couple of hours I heard a knock on the door. "Bella? Honey, are you all right?" Reneé asked through the door.

"Yeah." My voice was raspy.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." I cleared my throat.

Reneé came in and sat next to me on the bed. "Honey." She hesitated. "Honey, do you need to talk to someone?"

"About what?"

"Edward being gone." She looked like she didn't know how to say what she was thinking. "You just seem so... depressed."

I laughed once; it was not a happy sound. "Wouldn't you be?"

"Well, sure." She ran her fingers across my jaw. "But you need to have some sense of normality in your life while he's gone. You can't just sleep all the time."

"Why not?"

"Bella." She looked at me sternly.

"All right. I get it. But it's only been nine days. I'll get there eventually." She nodded but didn't say anything else. I glanced at the clock. "I'm going to get ready and go to bed." Her eyes widened. "I'm just so tired. I'm sorry."

"You don't want something to eat?" A line of concern formed between her brows.

"No, I'm not hungry." The thought of food made me nauseous.

"Well, all right. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Night." I laid back and closed my eyes.

_I wish Edward was here..._

* * *

I woke up not feeling any more rested than when I went to sleep. I tossed and turned all night, dreaming of Edward. I woke up with tears running down my face twice--an improvement from last week.

God, I am so pathetic.

I brushed my teeth and took a shower, inhaling the steam as I got in. It did help a little, or maybe I was just fooling myself. The ache never seemed to go away; I never seemed to be able to catch my breath. I got out and got dressed, looking at myself in the mirror. I decided I wasn't going to bother fixing my hair, so I pulled it up into yet another messy knot.

I went downstairs to the kitchen to hear Reneé and Phil talking about me. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and listened. "Phil, I think there's something wrong with her."

"Like what?" I could hear him pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"I don't know. I called Alice and she said all she does is sleep when she's not at work." _She called Alice?_

"Well, that is one of the signs of depression, and you said she admitted she was depressed last night."

"Yeah. I know, but Phil. Just look at her. It's like she's gone. Her body is here, but she's gone. She wasn't even this bad when Jacob died." Her voice broke on the last part.

"Give her time."

I quietly walked up a few steps before coming back down, making sure they could hear me. I felt bad about how I'd been acting, but she was right. I was gone. And there was nothing I could do to find myself again until Edward came back. I hated that I was so dependent on him, but I seriously felt shafted. Like I'd been given the chance to find love, only to have it ripped away from me.

For six months, anyway.

"Hey," I said, smiling weakly.

"Merry Christmas, Bella!" Reneé exclaimed. She was over-doing the enthusiasm.

I chuckled bleakly as I poured myself a cup of coffee. "Merry Christmas, Mom. Phil."

"You want something to eat?" Phil asked.

"Uh, sure. Eggs would be nice."

"Is that all? Nothing else?" I could tell he wanted me to eat more than just eggs.

"Um, maybe a piece of toast, too." I could probably choke it down.

We sat in silence while Phil cooked a couple of eggs and toasted a piece of bread. He plated it before handing it to me with some strawberry jelly. "Here you go, Bells."

"Thanks." I spread the jelly on the toast before taking a bite of eggs. They tasted rubbery. I could feel them watching me so I forced myself to eat it all.

"So I thought I'd make dinner, and then we could exchange presents tonight." Phil and I both looked at Reneé with fearful expressions on our faces. It was never a good idea to let Reneé cook. It always wound up to be a disaster.

"You're going to cook?" Phil asked, weakly.

She stared at him for a moment before laughing. "I guess that's not the best idea." She looked at me. "Bella? Would you be willing to help me?"

"Sure," I said smiling. Anything to make the day go by faster. I went to the sink and washed the dishes I'd used. "I'm going to go back upstairs for a little while, maybe watch some TV or read a book. I'll be back down in a little while." I walked to the stairs before stopping and turning around. "I'm sorry I'm spending so much time alone. I just..." I didn't know how to say it without sounding idiotic. "I'm sorry," I repeated, before going back to my room.

* * *

I fell asleep while reading a book I'd picked up at the airport. I looked at the clock; it was time to start dinner. I went to the kitchen and found Reneé getting the ham ready to bake. She was fumbling with the aluminum foil. I laughed silently to myself, but the laughter felt all wrong.

"Here, let me get that, Mom."

She blew out a breath that fluttered her bangs. "Thanks." I got the ham wrapped up and in the oven. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Um, sure." I grabbed my shoes and stumbled out the door behind her.

She laughed. "Still clumsy, I see."

"Yeah."

We reached the beach and she took my hand. "I thought maybe you could use some fresh air." She inhaled deeply.

"It's nice." It wasn't as hot and muggy as the last time I was here, but it was still warm enough to leave my jacket at the house. "It's not as humid as the last time I was here."

"No. It's pretty nice during the winter." She looked at me sideways. "You could stay here until Edward comes back."

I shook my head. "No, thanks. I want to go back to Seattle."

"Are you going to stay with Alice and Jasper the whole time Edward's gone?"

I watched the waves crash to the shore. "No. I think I'll go back home when I leave here. It's going to be hard without Edward there, but I miss it. You're right. I need to at least _try_ to function while he's gone."

I stood there thinking of Edward. The pain that was my constant companion flared, ripping through my chest so that I had to stifle a gasp. How I was going to function without him was beyond me, but I knew I had to. It was pointless to wallow in my sorrows day after day.

She stopped abruptly, looking at me seriously. "You really love him, don't you?" I just nodded. I couldn't make my voice work. I was struggling to hide the pain I felt. "What do you love about him?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm not sure if I can explain it. He's so kind, caring, and selfless. Always making sure everyone's needs are met before his own. He makes me laugh. He's beautiful, inside as well as out. He had this messy bronze hair that always sticks up because he constantly runs his hand through it. He has the most amazing green eyes. It's like they can cut through all my pretenses and see inside my soul. He makes me feel so safe, so loved, so important. When I'm with him it's like I'm complete. I never knew I was missing a part of myself until I met him." I felt a tear roll down my cheek. "I miss him so much," I sobbed.

She pulled me into her arms and rubbed soothing circles on my back with her hands. "I'm so sorry. He sounds wonderful, Bella. When he comes back I want to meet him."

I nodded. "He was supposed to come with me on this trip," I sniffled.

"Really?"

"Yeah." I wiped the tears from my face. I needed to stop talking about Edward. "How long have we been gone?"

She looked at her watch. "An hour. We'd better get back."

We walked in silence back to the house. We made our way into the kitchen and began working on the rest of dinner while the ham finished baking. I felt a little better now that I'd let some of what I felt out, but the pain I felt was still radiating through my chest.

Dinner was nice. Reneé and Phil were laughing with one another. They seemed to still love one another just as much as they did when I left eight years ago. I almost felt like an outsider. Like I was intruding on some private moment of theirs. Watching them made me ache for Edward in ways I'd never known possible. I tried my best to pretend I was happy, but I'm sure they saw right through me.

We cleaned up the kitchen and went to the living room to exchange presents. I handed Reneé and Phil the gifts I'd bought them before taking my present from Reneé. I hated opening presents.

"Open yours first, baby," Reneé said.

I pulled the tissue paper out of the bag and pulled out a navy leather bound journal with my full name imprinted in the bottom right hand corner. I opened it to find a gift certificate to my favorite book store in Seattle.

"Thanks," I said. "It's beautiful."

"I thought you could put your book ideas in the journal." I looked up from the journal and stared into her eyes. _How did she know?_ "Edward said you'd always wanted to write. Why didn't you tell me that?"

I shrugged my shoulders while the tears flooded my vision. It was just like him to figure out a way to give me something without being here. I took an aching breath before speaking. "What do you mean 'Edward said'?"

"I called Alice and got his cell phone number from her. I called him a couple weeks ago and asked him if he knew anything I could get you for Christmas. This was his idea. He said you loved that bookstore, and that you'd use the gift certificate within days of receiving it." She chuckled. "He also said that you might have time to start writing while he was gone and that maybe you could use a journal to keep with you and jot down any ideas you might have ." She saw my tearful expression and hurried on. "Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset, but I just thought you should know it was Edward's idea, not mine."

I sniffled and wiped away the tears. "No, it's perfect. Thank you. I'm only crying because he knows me so well, and I have no way to thank him for giving you the idea." I took a deep breath. "You didn't say anything earlier about talking to him."

"Well, then I'd spoil the surprise!" she laughed.

"Yeah. I guess you would." I gave her a watery smile. "Okay, open yours."

* * *

**Edward**

I sat in my tent with the picture Bella had given me in my hands. I was missing our first Christmas together.

I was a selfish bastard--plain and simple--to have left her. The saddest part, was that I still wasn't really sure why I left in the first place. Why the fuck I would ever spend six months away from Bella and live through this much pain.

We were somewhere outside of Tibet in a restricted access area. We would be here until sometime in the middle of January, before moving on to India for a few days, then on to someplace in Africa. Normally, I would be able to point out our exact location on a map, but at this point, I couldn't care less--I couldn't make myself care. I was just going through the motions.

"Edward?" I heard Esme calling me from outside my tent.

"In here!" I called to her. She unzipped the tent and came inside.

She was bundled up in her black parka. "It's freezing out there!"

"Yep." I looked back at the picture.

"You okay?" she asked tentatively.

"Not really. But I'll manage." The hole in my chest was throbbing just thinking about it.

"Edward, you've been so distant since you got here. Are you sure this is where you should be?"

"No. But I promised Dad, so I'm here." I gritted my teeth, trying to control my emotions. "I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow. I'm just wishing I could spend Christmas with Bella." It was a lie, but I knew she wouldn't see through it. I'm a good liar when I need to be.

"Well, okay." She looked down at the picture in my hands. "Can I see it?"

"Sure." I handed her the picture and watched the smile spread across her face as she looked at it.

"Edward, this is a beautiful picture of you two. Who took it?"

"Ali." I'd never admit it, but I missed the sneaky little pixie.

She nodded. "I wish your father and I could have met her and her husband. She seems to be important to you."

"Yeah. I guess you can meet them when we get back. You'd really like them."

"I'm sure we would." She smiled. "You know, you can see how much you love each other, how happy you make each other."

"You can?"

"Yes. It's in your eyes. Edward, I'd never seen that look in your eyes until I saw you with Bella." She paused. "You're lucky to have her, but I'm sure I don't have to tell you that."

"No, you don't. I already know how lucky I am to have her." I took the picture back from her and looked at it. "Mom? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can." She patiently waited for me to continue.

"You don't... You don't think I'll lose her by being here, do you?" I could feel the hole in my chest burning, threatening to bring tears to my eyes. I took a deep breath to stifle them.

She came over to me and held my face in her hands. "No. Bella loves you. She'll be there when you get back just as promised."

"But I'm being so selfish." I could feel the tears in my eyes now. _Damn it._ "It was selfish of me to leave her and come here."

"Sweetheart, no one thinks you're selfish. Especially Bella." She smiled at me before continuing. "She thinks you hung the moon."

I nodded and cleared my throat before continuing. I wasn't going to break down in front of Esme. "I feel dead inside."

"I know. You and Bella have more of a connection than I could have ever thought possible. You're more than just soul mates. You're so physically, emotionally, and spiritually intertwined, it's like you each complete the other. Watching you together, it's like watching the earth circle its sun. I've never seen anything like it." I nodded my head again. I didn't know what to say back. "Well, I'm going to go check on a few of the patients your father worked on this morning. Why don't you just stay here and relax. Take the afternoon to be by yourself."

"All right." I was so exhausted, all I wanted to do was sleep for a few hours. But I knew that was unlikely. I'd hardly slept since I'd left Seattle.

"I'll come back and check on you later."

"Okay." She turned and made her way out of the tent without another word.

I laid down and looked at the picture again before putting it down and closing my eyes as the tears fell down my face. I didn't know how long I could last, but I knew I wasn't going to make it six months without Bella.


	16. Chapter 16

**Lots of stuff happening in the chapter! It's strictly BPOV--but like I said, I'll make up for that later **

* * *

Chapter 16

**Bella**

It'd been two and a half weeks since I left Jacksonville and came back home. The first few days were hard. Edward's presence clung to every surface; he was inescapable.

I immediately started avoiding anything that reminded of him. I now slept in one of the guest rooms upstairs even though it was extremely inconvenient; all of my clothes and toiletries were still in the master bathroom. I couldn't bear to sleep in the bed we shared, in the bed that Edward's wonderful scent hung to every inch of. I left the door to his office shut, and I never stepped foot in the game room--not even to clean. I couldn't stand to see his piano empty and unused, so I never looked over to the corner of the living room where it sat. I didn't know if I'd be able to look at it again until he came home.

The pain I felt when he first left had settled in my chest, becoming a dull, constant ache. I still felt like such a huge part of me was still missing, but I was functioning. I got up and went to work every day, like before. As soon as I got out of my car, the fake, bright smile was fixed to my face so that none of my coworkers knew how miserable I still was, and didn't fade until I got back into my car at the end of the day.

When I wasn't trying to pretend that I was all right, I slept. It seemed to be all I wanted to do lately. The blackness was a welcomed escape from the reality, but it was more than that. It was like my body couldn't function normally anymore without becoming ridiculously exhausted by the end of the day. By eight o' clock every night, I'd turned the lights out and was resting comfortably in the bed upstairs. Add to that, the fact that I wanted to nap--I never took naps--and I was beginning to get a little worried. I knew it was probably a sure sign of depression--who wouldn't be depressed living in constant pain?--and had wondered frequently about calling up my doctor and getting on some sort of anti-depressant. I couldn't live six months holed up in bed. It simply wasn't an option.

I got home from work and walked into the kitchen to find Alice tossing a salad at the island. "What are you doing here?" I asked as I put my purse and my keys on the counter

"I'm cooking you dinner," she chirped. "I haven't seen you in two weeks, Bella. Have you been avoiding me?"

"No. I've just been tired. I haven't deliberately avoided you since New Year's Eve," I teased.

I was in no mood to go out and celebrate that night. It was too soon after Edward left for me to even think about starting the 'happy enough' facade.

"You missed a great party!" She pulled some salmon that had been marinating out of the refrigerator and put it on to broil.

"I doubt that," I said sarcastically.

"So anyway, I brought a couple of DVDs with me. I thought we could have dinner and watch movies. Have some girl time. I miss you, Bells."

Gone was the thought of a long, hot bath and a book in bed. I reluctantly gave her the fake smile I'd spent the last two weeks perfecting and sat on one of the bar stools. "Sounds good."

"I got your mail out of the box for you." She had a huge grin on her face.

"What are you up to?" I asked warily.

"Nothing. It's over there." She pointed to where she'd put the stack of mail.

I walked over and started flipping through it. Bills, junk, the usual. And then I stopped. I recognized Edward's beautiful script immediately. My heart stuttered in my chest as I fingered the looping letters of my name.

"Alice," I whispered.

"I know. Open it!" she squealed.

I flipped the letter over and ripped it open. I couldn't wait to read it. It was the first kind of confirmation of his safety since he left London, and God help me, it was so unbelievably romantic to get a letter in the mail from your long lost love.

I realized with that passing thought, I was slowly losing my mind.

_Bella,_

_Words can't describe how much I long to see your face, to touch your beautiful hair and breathe your scent. I close my eyes and see nothing but your beautiful eyes staring back at me. I miss you so much, it hurts. When I told you I'd be leaving my heart with you, I didn't realize I would be literally doing so; I ache for you constantly. _

_We've been outside of Tibet for the last month and are now traveling to India for a few days before we head to Africa. I wish I had time to call you from the airport, so that I could hear your angelic voice in my ear. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to know how close I am to hearing your voice, only to be unable. I want to hear how your Christmas with Renee was. To hear all the small, mundane things going on in your life and to be able to tell you myself how much I love you._

_Carlisle and Esme send their love. The foundation is taking off. We've helped over a thousand people in one village alone. Word is getting out about the Cullen's traveling the world, treating those who cannot travel themselves to get medical attention. As rewarding as that is, I must admit, it's not something I'll ever be able to do again. Not without you by my side._

_I love you with all my heart. Please stay safe while I'm away. No tripping over your feet and landing in the ER, please._

_Yours forever,_

_Edward_

I laughed softly with his parting line and wiped the tears that had silently fallen before handing the letter to Alice. I sat down at the table and put my face in my hands. Reading the letter had made the pain so much worse. It was like a hot, branding pain that radiated through me. I had to take slow, deep breaths so that I didn't pass out.

"Bella, this is beautiful." Alice walked up behind me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"I know," I choked out.

The timer on the oven went off. "I'd better get that."

She turned and got dinner put on plates and brought it to me. The garlicky smell of the fish went up my nose, causing my stomach to convulse. "Oh, God," I mumbled against my hand before I ran to the hall bathroom and threw up in the toilet.

Alice knocked on the door. "Bella? You okay in there?"

"Yeah." I rinsed my mouth out and opened the door. "I don't know what happened. I must've been more upset by the letter than I thought."

Her face was full of skepticism. "If you say so."

We walked back to the kitchen and sat down. The smell of the fish caused my stomach to roll again. I pushed the plate away. "I can't eat. Maybe I'm coming down with something."

"You've got that doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, right?" I nodded my head. "I know you're going to the OBGYN, but maybe she can tell you if there's a stomach bug going around or something."

"Yeah. I'll ask." I took a sip of water. I instantly felt better. "Hey, I've got the day off tomorrow. Want to go with me and we can go to brunch afterwards or something?"

"You want to spend time with _me_?" she asked, feigning shock.

I laughed. "Yeah. I'll even let you take me shopping."

Her brows knit in confusion. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. I'm just sorry I've been such a bad friend the last few weeks. So I want to make it up to you."

"Hmm, okay. I could stand to dress up my life-sized Bella Barbie," she said, laughing. "Come on, let's clean up so we can watch a movie before I go. I promised Jazz I'd be home before midnight."

* * *

I woke up the next morning feeling the same that I had in the last month--awful. I knew Edward was all right and he was missing me as much as I missed him. But the comfort I felt in that did nothing to stop the stupor I was in.

I stared at the ceiling, annoyed at myself. Why couldn't I break free from this funk? Why was it that even after eight full hours of sleep, I wanted to roll over and succumb to it again? Edward had been gone for a month now. One would think that after that amount of time some healing would begin. But no, not for me. My idiotic heart was clinging to the despair like a lifeline.

_No more_, I promised myself. Starting now, I was going to do everything I could to get back to being as close to my former self as I could until Edward got home.

I showered and got dressed before going into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. I very much needed the caffeine to wake me up this morning.

Alice was already there reading the paper and drinking her own cup. "Hey. I didn't hear you come in."

"You were in the shower. I made some coffee." She looked up and gasped. "Bella! Where in the hell is the handbook I left for you to use?"

I poured myself a cup and rolled my eyes. "Relax, Alice. I've still got it. But I feel like someone ran me over with a steam roller." And backed up for good measure. "I'm sorry if wearing a pair of jeans and a long sleeved fitted tee is fashionably unacceptable to you, but I'm not changing. I want to be comfortable."

"Fine, whatever. I get to dress you up this afternoon so it doesn't matter anyways." She eyed my cup before continuing. "You going to eat anything?"

"No. Food sounds terrible." I took the last sip of my coffee and put the mug in the sink.

"All right." She looked at the clock. "We'd better get going anyway. Don't want you to be late!" She clapped her hands and beamed at me.

I gave her a look that silently told her I thought she was a bit of a freak, and shuffled out of the house behind her. "You want to take the Volvo?"

"Nope, I drove the Porsche."

"Great. Wonderful. You brought the death trap," I groaned.

"Get in and shut up."

The ride was frightening, to say the least. I clung to the handle over my head and stomped on my imaginary brake the entire way. We got to the doctor's office and parked, and I very nearly leaped out of the car and kissed the pavement under my feet in a reverent thanks for still being alive to step foot on solid ground again.

We walked inside--Alice yammering excitedly in my ear-- and I signed in before sitting down next to Alice.

"Look at all the pregnant girls!" she whispered excitedly.

"Uh, so?"

"They're so cute!" I looked at her sideways. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"I guess so. I don't really pay that much attention."

"Oh, come on, Bella. You don't ever think about having kids with Edward?"

"Well, yeah." Of course, since I'd had that dream, I knew it would happen eventually, so there was no real wondering about it. "Why? Do you?" I looked around the room and noticed the waiting area was packed with pregnant women.

_Isn't that supposed to be a sign? Seeing a bunch of pregnant women wherever you go?_

"With Edward? No." Alice's joke brought me away from the panicking thought.

I rolled my eyes. "Haha, very funny."

"Yeah. I've been thinking about having babies with Jasper since we got married."

"You guys going to act on that thought any time soon?" I picked up a magazine and started flipping through it.

"No. Probably not for a couple of years. I don't think Jasper's ready for that yet. Besides, we have plenty of time."

"Yes, you do." I turned my attention back to the magazine.

I had finished reading that magazine and went to grab another one off the table when the nurse called my name.

"Be back soon," I told Alice.

She just nodded her head. She was too involved with the new issue of _In Style_ to answer.

I walked back with the nurse to the scales. "Hi, Bella. We need to weigh you." I stepped on the scale. It read the same that it'd read since high school. The nurse wrote it down on my chart.

"Okay, follow me." She took me to an empty exam room and took my blood pressure before leaving the room.

I sat on the exam table, bouncing my feet impatiently as I waited for the doctor to come in. Surprisingly, it wasn't long until I heard a knock on the door.

"Hi, Bella! How are you?"

I turned to see Dr. Brown, the same doctor I'd gone to since I'd turned eighteen. Her blond hair was still in its usual bob her brown eyes twinkled. She hadn't changed anything about her appearance in seven years.

It was actually quite comforting.

"I'm good. How are you?" I made the mistake of reaching up and scratching my nose.

"Oh, Bella! You're engaged! What a beautiful ring! Congratulations!" She was always so happy, even more cheerful than Alice at times.

I blushed. "Thanks," I replied shyly.

"How long have you been engaged?"

"Since Thanksgiving." I was fidgeting a little. I knew where the conversation was heading.

"That's great! Who's your fiancé? Anyone I might know?" _Yep, there it is._

"Um, you might know him," I told her with a weak laugh. "He's in the same network of doctors as you. Edward Cullen?"

Every doctor I'd met in the last three months knew Edward. He was this popular ER god that everyone fawned over. It was extremely frustrating at times to feel like you were being judged from 'hello'. Sometimes, I passed their tests. Other times, I was given looks of disdain. The other person was clearly wondering how I managed to snag someone as successful and gorgeous as Edward. I wondered it frequently myself, so it did nothing to boost my confidence in myself and our relationship.

I swore to myself that one of these days, I'd work up the courage to explain to them all I gave great head and then walk away before I died of embarrassment.

_Right._

"You're engaged to Edward?"

"Yep." _And that brings us to the next question._

"Didn't he take a leave of absence from the hospital?" She looked confused.

The ache in my chest grew stronger; I shoved it away to answer her. "Um-hm."

"I'm sorry, but I never heard the reason why. Do you mind telling me?"

"No. He's helping his father start a new charity. They're traveling to remote places and giving the local people medical attention. They were outside of Tibet until just recently. Now they're in Africa." I looked down, breathing deeply. I needed to get off this subject soon.

"That's very noble of him." I nodded. "When do you two plan to get married?"

"At the end of the year sometime. We haven't set an exact date yet."

"That sounds wonderful." She looked at my chart. "So you're not due back for your yearly exam until the summer. What can I do for you?"

"Uh, well, I made this appointment before Edward left, and I decided to keep it," I stammered nervously. "I wanted to talk to you about getting on some form of birth control." I felt my face flush. The woman's seen every inch of me, and I still blushed.

"All right." She smiled at me. "When was the first day of your last period?"

"Uh.." _Shit, when was it?_ "Let me check." I hopped off the table and grabbed my planner out of my purse. I flipped the pages back until I found it. "Surely that can't be right," I muttered under my breath.

"Bella? Are you okay?"

I could feel the blood drain from my face. That panicky feeling was back in full force.

I lifted my now shaking hand to point at the calendar. "Well, I usually write down when I start, but I must've skipped this month. The last time I have it written down was on December first."

_Oh, shit. Oh, God._

My heart was hammering in my throat. I swallowed convulsively, trying to get it back down, but it was no use.

"Have you had another period since then?"

"No. Maybe. I don't know." I shook my head, trying to get my brain to function. "I've been a little out of it since Edward left," I admitted.

"Okay, Bella. It's probably just be stress related, but I want you to follow me. We're going to have some blood work done." I merely nodded my head, not trusting my voice. I wanted to faint with the mere idea of a needle poking into the crook of my arm.

She led me to a small room where a nurse sat. "Hi," I said meekly.

She gave me a distracted wave back as she pulled supplies out of the drawers.

"This is Katie. She'll be drawing the blood for me. It should be about ten minutes before the lab finishes with the results. Once you're done, you can go back into the exam room and wait for me." She smiled sincerely before walking away.

I sat down and let Katie prep my arm. My pulse was thundering, and I could hear nothing else. I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed in deeply through my mouth.

_I will not pass out, I will not pass out... _

"You okay?" Katie asked.

"Yeah," I breathed.

"Okay, just a little prick..." _Ouch._ I could hear her moving things around but I wouldn't open my eyes to see what she was doing. Before I knew it, I felt pressure being put on the site. "I'm all done." I opened my eyes to see a band aid on my arm and a vial of blood in her hand. My stomach lurched at the sight. "I'll just take this over to the lab."

"Great," I muttered as I got up and walked back to the exam room. I kept one hand on the wall as I walked so that I didn't up and fall over before I could regain control of my body.

I laid back on the table and stared at the ceiling. My brain wasn't functioning. I couldn't seem to make sense of what was happening. I was blank, void.

I heard a knock on the door a few minutes later. "Bella?" I heard Dr. Brown call outside the door.

"Yeah?" I responded hoarsely.

I could tell by the look on her face as she walked in that I wasn't going to find the same enjoyment of the news that she did.

_No, no, no. Not now._ I tensed, waiting for her words, instinctively knowing why I'd been so tired lately.

"We've got your blood results back." She paused dramatically. "You're pregnant! Just over six weeks."

Panic flooded my veins in with the confirmation. A string of profanities filled my mind. This could not be happening!

I shook my head, trying to get my wits about me back but wound up stuttering anyway. "What?... How?... When?" I couldn't believe it. _Pregnant?_ The word slammed through me, almost suffocating me.

"That's impossible." There was no way I was pregnant. It was some kind of mistake.

_Don't be so stupid_, my subconscious mocked me. _You know you are..._

"We always used con...doms..." I trailed off as the realization struck me. "Shit!" I looked back at Dr. Brown. "When did this happen?"

"Well, based on the date of your last period, conception was most likely on December fifteenth."

I stared at her long enough for her to start to get uncomfortable. "The day he left?" I asked incredulously. She stared blankly at me. "Oh, God," I groaned. "The shower."

We'd been so wrapped up in goodbye that the thought hadn't even crossed either of our minds. Who would've thought that one time would have led to a...

I couldn't even think it.

"I take it this wasn't planned?" she asked carefully.

I just looked at her, unwilling to believe she had the nerve to ask that question. Edward was gone until June. What did she think?

"No, it wasn't," I said between my teeth. I took a deep breath. I had to get out of here...fast. "Okay, so what do I do now?"

"I'm going to write you a prescription for some pre-natal vitamins. I want you to make an appointment to see me after your first trimester. I'll give you a list of things to stay away from, a list of medicines you can take, and a list of foods that are nutritious for the baby."

_Shit, she said it._

"I'll also send a book home with you about what to expect during pregnancy. I want you to read it and ask me any questions you think of the next time I see you." She smiled at me again. "Congratulations, Bella! You and Edward will have a beautiful baby."

"Thanks." She started to walk out. I felt lost. "Wait! When am I due?"

She gave me a sheepish grin and looked at my chart again. "Looks like sometime around September seventh."

I nodded, and she shut the door.

The nurse came in with the biggest stack of papers I'd ever seen. I took them and the prescription from her and walked to the reception area where I made my next appointment.

I walked over to Alice in a daze. "I'm done." I started to walk out of the office, not bothering to check to see if Alice was following me or not.

"Bella! What_ is_ all that?" She caught up to me. "Bella!"

I couldn't answer her. It had finally hit me, and I was crying now. Sobbing--horrifically.

We got to her car and she opened the doors with the remote. I climbed inside and sobbed into my hands. The pain in my chest flared. I was missing Edward so intensely, my heart felt like it was being ripped open, sending intense waves of pain through my body. I could barely breathe.

I pulled my legs to my chest and curled into a ball in the passenger's seat. I could feel my whole body shake as the waves of pain crashed over me. I was going to have a baby? Why me? Why _now_? How would I be able to tell Edward? _When_ would I be able to tell Edward? I wanted nothing more than to see his face light up with the news. I was going to have to settle for a phone call, at best.

My sobs eventually died down as I got a handle on things. "What am I going to do?" I hiccupped. "I can't even tell him!"

"Tell him what?! Bella, what's going on?" she demanded anxiously.

"I'm pregnant!" I wailed.

Her eyes got huge. "Oh." She was quiet while I rocked back and forth, trying to control the tears. "You don't want it?"

Did I?

I sat still and thought about it for a moment. The image of the little girl in my dream with the beautiful bronze curls popped into my mind. I was going to have a baby. I _wanted _that perfect scene more than I could have ever thought possible.

The pain instantly died down to its usual ache as the realization hit me. I let my hand slide down to my stomach as new tears rushed down my face. I loved her so much already, but the joy I felt was marred. My heart was still broken. Regardless of how happy the thought of having Edward's child made me, I couldn't thoroughly enjoy it without Edward by my side.

"Of course I want it, but I want Edward to be here. I want to be able to run home and tell him he's going to be a daddy! And I can't! I don't have any way to reach him!"

"You have to try." She handed me a Kleenex.

"What do you mean?" I wiped my face off.

"Leave him a voice mail, write him an e-mail. Call Carlisle and Esme's phones. Do whatever. Someone will get the message eventually."

"Yeah." I'd do it now. "Give me a sec." I got out my phone and dialed Edward's number. It went directly to voice mail. "Hey, it's me. I know you have no way of getting this, but I need you to call me if you do. There's something extremely important I have to tell you. I love you. Bye."

"That was good. You didn't tell him over voice mail."

"No." I laughed a little. "I want him to hear it from me directly." I called Carlisle's phone. "Hi, Carlisle. It's Bella. Listen, if you get this, tell Edward to call me immediately. There's something I need to tell him. Thanks."

I then called Esme's phone and repeated the same thing.

I looked back over at Alice who had a huge grin on her face. "You're going to be a mommy!" she squealed.

"Yeah," I said smiling. "I guess I am."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Edward**

"Damn it!" I slammed the phone down in anger.

I actually wanted to launch it across the room, but I managed to keep from destroying hotel property. I laid down on the hotel bed and put my hands over my face in a feeble attempt to calm down instead.

We were somewhere in Brazil in a town just outside the Amazon. I didn't know the name of it, didn't _care_ to know the name of it. It had been almost two months since I'd left Seattle. I'd spent every day of those two months wishing I could go back in time and never leave Bella's side.

I missed her so badly, I almost couldn't bear it. I couldn't focus on anything but her. I saw her in everything I did, in every person I met. I managed to find some similarity between Bella and each patient I worked on. She literally seemed to surround me.

I still didn't sleep. I was so exhausted--weary down to my bones--that I could see myself teetering on the edge of insanity. On one side was pain--reality. On the other side was an empty abyss, taunting me with its welcoming numbness.

Although, maybe I already was in good need of a straight jacket. Ever since we'd left Africa, I couldn't seem to escape the feeling that I was missing something important, something vital. My overactive imagination kept picturing Bella in a car crash or falling down a flight of steps. The gaping wound in my chest felt even larger, like I was somehow missing even more of myself. I wouldn't be able to stop the painful images that incessantly flooded my mind until I heard her voice.

The constant ache of need and worry practically crippled me.

I had to go home. There was no other option for me anymore. I'd debated it for the last couple of weeks, but now I knew that I wasn't going to be able to stand much longer in this dark prison of desolation I'd forced myself into. I not only needed to see Bella, but I needed to sleep for days before the damage became irreparable.

"Edward?" Carlisle knocked on my door.

"Come in," I answered tersely.

"Son, what's wrong?" He sat down next to me.

"I have no cell service, and I can't get this fucking phone to work," I snapped.

It was so unbelievably frustrating to finally be in a town and still be no closer to talking to Bella.

"Are you trying to call home?"

"Yeah." I pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers so that I didn't take my anger out on my father.

He got his phone out of his pocket and stared at it with a frown. "Hmm, I don't have any service either. I'm sorry. I can see if our phone works for you."

"No. It's the entire hotel. They don't allow international calls." _Cheap bastards._

"Why the urgency to call home all of the sudden?"

"It's Valentine's Day. I wanted to make sure Seth gave Bella her present for me," I explained.

"That's not all."

I sighed. "No. I have this feeling something's not right." I moved my hand so that I could look at him. "Like I'm missing something important. It's probably nothing."

"Well, keep trying. You might get through before we leave in the morning."

"Yeah." I paused, debating on whether or not to voice my desire to leave. "Hey, Dad?"

He stopped at the door. "Yes?"

"I'm going to leave after we're done here in April."

_There, I said it_.

"Why wait for so long?" he inquired.

I cleared my throat. "You need time to find a replacement for the last two months. I'm not leaving you a person short."

His brows were knit. I couldn't tell if he was upset or confused. "Thank you, I appreciate it. May I ask why you're going to leave?"

"I can't do it anymore." I took a deep breath and prepared for the onslaught of agony that was bound to come from talking about how unhappy I was without Bella. "I'm completely miserable. I can't sleep. I can hardly eat. I feel like there's this huge hole in my chest. And it hurts. It hurts every fucking second of every fucking day." My words got stuck in my throat. "I'm just going through the motions. When I'm not working, all I do is curl up in a ball and let the misery wash over me. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I need to be with Bella."

He looked almost shocked. "Have you been feeling this way since we left New York?"

I nodded. "Since I left Seattle, actually."

"Why didn't you say something?" he demanded.

"What should I say? 'Dad, I'm weak. I can't go across the country without missing Bella so much I want to turn around and run back home'?"

"Of course not. You're not weak. You're in love." He exhaled sharply. "Your mother was right. I shouldn't have asked you to come."

_Esme thought I shouldn't come?_

"What do you mean?" I asked warily.

"Your mother tried to convince me to find another doctor that specialized in emergency medicine. She said it wasn't fair to take you away from Bella so soon after you found her, but I didn't listen to her. I didn't want to. I wanted you on the team. It was selfish; I'm sorry."

"You knew I'd say yes," I said slowly.

"Yes. I know you. Your loyalty is one of your finest attributes."

I gave him a weak smile. I wanted to be angry about this, but I could hardly be mad at him for something I would have done myself. And it wasn't like he tied me up and brought me against my will. I agreed to be a part of this, no matter what Carlisle's motives actually were.

"Why don't you walk around for a while, see if you can get any cell phone reception before we leave."

I simply nodded, and he left the room.

I stuck my room key and wallet in my pocket before heading out. I walked around for an hour, just watching my cell phone for any sign of reception.

Finally I got a bar. I took a few steps to the left and got another. My cell phone beeped, indicating I had voice mail. It could wait. I flipped open the phone and dialed Bella's number. I was practically bouncing up and down with my excitement.

It would be just a few more seconds before I would hear my angel's beautiful voice.

* * *

**Bella**

I was reading the book Dr. Brown gave me, trying to choke down some saltines, when I heard the doorbell. I looked at the clock; it was still early.

_Maybe it's Alice?_

I left the book open on the coffee table and went to the door. "Seth? Hi! What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Bells! I hope it's not a problem that I stopped by." His big, black eyes seemed worried.

"No, of course not. Come in!" I led him into the living room and sat on the couch. "So what's up?"

He had a small box in his hands. "Uh, well, Edward sent this to me and asked me to give it to you on Valentine's Day. I haven't opened it, so I don't know if there's any note or anything for you in it."

"Thanks." My voice was thick.

I opened the box and found a note attached to something wrapped in floral paper.

_Bella,_

_I found this in London. I thought it might bring a smile to your face. _

_Happy Valentine's Day_

_I love you always._

_Edward_

I opened the present and smiled. He'd sent me a first edition of _Wuthering Heights_.

"Bella? What is it?"

I wiped the tears away. It seemed I cried about everything anymore. "He found a first edition of _Wuthering Heights._" I shook my head and laughed a little. "He really hates this book." I glanced back up at Seth. "Thanks for bringing this to me."

"No problem. Hey, listen. I was thinking. Since I'm not dating anyone, and Edward's not here, maybe we could hang out tonight and keep each other company. You know, catch up a little."

I looked at his face. He reminded me so much of Jacob with his black hair and eyes, his beautiful russet colored skin, and the angular plains of his face. It was no wonder I'd avoided him until I met Edward. Six months ago I wouldn't have been able to handle it. Now, I realized how stupid I'd been.

I smiled. "Sure. That sounds great. What did you have in mind?"

"Want to go grab a bite to eat and see a movie?"

"Sounds good." I bent over to put a bookmark in the pregnancy book.

"Hey Bells? Why are you reading a pregnancy book?"

I hesitated. With the exception of Alice and Jasper, I hadn't told anyone I was pregnant yet. Not even Charlie or Renee. Call me a coward, but I was terrified of their reactions.

"Well, it's probably because I'm pregnant." I gave Seth a shy smile and held my breath.

"What? That's great! Does Edward know?" He was grinning from ear to ear.

My smile widened as the relief washed over me. "No. I've tried calling him every day since I found out, but I've never been able to get a hold of him. He sent me a letter not too long ago saying they were heading to the Amazon."

His mailbox was full--of messages from me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You'll get a hold of him." Seth was always so optimistic. "Well, I have to go. I promised the guys I'd be at the gym at eleven to play ball. I'll swing by tonight and pick you up. How's six sound?"

"Sounds good. What movie do you want to see?"

"You pick." We stood up and walked to the door. "Congratulations, Bella." He pulled me into an awkward hug.

"Thanks. I'll see you later."

"Bye." He waved as he walked off the porch and went to his car.

* * *

I got out of the shower and dressed in a pair of jeans and a red long sleeved shirt. I put my hair into a towel and heard my cell phone buzzing on the counter in the bathroom. I ran across the room and grabbed it, not bothering to look at the caller ID before I flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Bella?"

"Edward!" I shouted in shock.

"Hello, love. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Thank you! Happy Valentine's Day to you, too." I got this goofy, wide smile on my face.

"Did Seth come by yet?"

"He did," I told him, still grinning. "Thank you. It's wonderful! Where did you find it?"

"I was walking around Notting Hill the day before we left for China. I saw an antique bookstore and thought of you. They located a copy for me, and I bought it and had it shipped to Seth with the instructions that he wait until Valentine's Day to give it to you."

"You didn't have to do that, you know." The conversation seemed so normal, like he hadn't been gone for two months and everything was as it was before.

But everything was going to be completely different when he came back. I reminded myself there were more important things to talk about than a simple Valentine's Day gift, but I was so deliriously happy hearing his voice, my brain was too muddled to really grasp that fact.

"I know. I wanted to." He paused. "I miss you so much," he said emphatically.

His words caused a tidal wave of sadness to rush through me. Hot tears filled my eyes, and I had to sit down so that I didn't simply collapse on the floor. I wanted to blame it on hormones, but I knew that wasn't the only reason. It was like the walls I'd spent so much time building around my heart these last few weeks had come tumbling down.

"I miss you, too," I whimpered. "It's so good to hear your voice."

"Yours, too. You don't know how many times I've tried to call you."

"I wish you were here," I sobbed. I missed him so much, I couldn't control it. The dam had broke and there was no way to stop it until I'd purged myself of this horrible sadness I held within me.

"Oh, God. Bella, don't cry." His voice was hoarse, like he was crying too. "Please. I don't want you to feel like I do."

"I'm sorry. I can't help it." I tried to control the sobs with a deep, shuddering breath, but it was no use.

He let me cry for a few minutes before talking. "Bella? I need to tell you something."

"Really? I need to tell you something, too." I suddenly had this strange sense of urgency to get it off my chest. Something I should've done at the beginning of the conversation.

"Okay, you go first."

I smiled. "All right. I'm not sure how you're going to feel about this."

"Is it bad?" he asked worriedly.

"No," I replied reasurringly. "Just... Big. Really big."

"All right," he said slowly.

I took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

"What?"

I repeated myself. "I'm pregnant."

"Bella? I can't hear you. God damn phone!" It almost sounded as if he was beating on the phone with his hand. "Bella? Are you still there?"

"Edward? Edward, I'm pregnant! We're having a baby!" I shouted loudly. I vaguely felt like a moron, but him hearing a piece of it was better than nothing.

"Shit! Bella, I'm coming home in-"

"What? Edward?" The phone beeped strangely in my ear. I looked at the screen. 

_Call failed._

"Damn it!" I wailed and threw the phone on the bed in disgust.

He still didn't know. I was so close to telling him, and he _still_ didn't know.

_What if he's not coming home in June?_

I suddenly felt as if ice water had been injected directly into my veins; I was so cold with the thought.

I knew the foundation was taking off. It was everywhere--on the news, in magazines. I'd fielded call after call after they left China. Everyone wanted information about the Cullen's. What if they weren't coming back in June like they'd originally thought? What if they were coming back later? Would he even be here before the baby was born? What would his reaction be to coming home to a hugely pregnant fiancée? Or worse, coming home to find that while you were away, you became a father?

_"_Oh, God." I was sobbing again.

I didn't know if I could do this by myself. There was so much to get ready for, things to buy and learn--not to mention choosing a name. I had to mentally prepare myself of the possibility of going through labor without Edward.

But worse still, was the fact that there might be the chance that he didn't want to be a father. We'd never talked about a family; I'd always assumed it was a given.

What if I was wrong? Could I handle being a single parent? Could I handle looking into our baby's face and seeing the man I didn't want to live without?

I wasn't sure I could.

I laid there crying until the doorbell rang. I sat up, wondering who it could be, and then abruptly realized I'd managed to forget about Seth.

I sprinted to the door and threw it open. "I'm sorry. I'll be ready in a second," I said breathlessly.

I started to go back to the bedroom, but Seth pulled me back. "Hey, Bella, wait a minute. What's the matter?"

"Do I look that bad?" I muttered.

"No, but you look like you've been crying. What's up?" I looked at the clock. I'd been crying for three hours.

I stared at him. There was nothing but concern on his face. "Edward called."

"So you told him?"

"I tried." I said vaguely.

His forehead creased. "He wasn't happy?"

"No, he didn't hear me. The phone cut out as soon as I said it."

"Oh." He was quiet for a moment. "That sucks," he laughed.

I scowled. "Why is this funny?"

"It's like a soap opera." He dissolved into laughter with this comment.

It was infectious. Soon, I started laughing--actually laughing. None of this fake crap I'd been doing for two months. I marveled at the sound.

"Yeah. I guess it is. You want to hear about all the drama that's been the Bella and Edward show?" I led him to the master bathroom so I could finished getting ready.

"Sure," he snorted as he sat on the edge of the tub.

"Has Edward told you anything about us?"

"No," he said shaking his head. "After your first date he told me who you were, and then a few weeks ago he said he knew it was fast, but he loved you, and then he told me that you two were engaged."

"Really?" I said in surprise.

"We don't really talk too much when we play basketball, Bella. Too hard to breathe," he said on a chuckle.

I frowned at myself. "Oh, right. Well, let's see. It all started when I cut my hand, 'cause I'm a klutz."

"Of course," he interrupted.

"So he's the doctor that sews my hand up. Then, I see him again while I was at the gym."

"You went to the gym?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Alice was playing matchmaker," I explained. "So anyways, he taps on my arm, and I fall off the treadmill." He laughed again. "I know, right?"

I giggled with him for a moment. "A couple days later he asks me out on a date. We go out, and we literally fall in love on that date. It was unreal. We'd only known each other for a few days, and we were already saying 'I love you' to one another."

"Wow. He wasn't lying when he said you guys went fast."

I shook my head. "That's not even the half of it. The next weekend, we had.. um, sex." I blushed uncomfortably admitting this, but reminded myself it was only Seth.

"Why's that a bad thing?" He waggled his eyebrows, causing me to chuckle.

"It's not. But... Seth, I was a virgin," I whispered, blushing furiously.

"You were a virgin?!" He was shocked, to say the least.

"Yep." I popped the 'p'. "Without getting all mushy, it was perfect. I could never regret it, even though we moved faster than I'd ever thought possible. So, uh, the next day I read a letter from the owners of my apartment complex saying they'd sold out, and the buyer was going to turn it into a hotel. I had two weeks to move out before they evicted me."

"Two weeks?" he shouted in disbelief. "Dude, that sucks!"

"Two weeks." I repeated. "So Edward asked me to move in with him. Obviously, I did. The weekend I moved in with him, his sister-in-law practically calls me a gold-digger." His face turned down into a scowl. "Then on Thanksgiving his father asks him to join his charity and leave me for six months. The next morning he proposed."

"Yes, but you two are made for each other. I've never seen Edward or you so happy before."

"Thanks, Seth. So the morning he left we um, um..." I was turning red again.

"Just spit it out, Bells," he said laughing.

"The morning he left we had sex in the shower... No condom. And now we are here. I'm pregnant; he's gone." I had to hold back the tears with the last part.

"You weren't on birth control?"

"Seth!" I exclaimed.

"What? It's so unlike you! You were always the responsible one." I forgot how much Seth knew about me from being around Jacob so much.

"Well, that's how I found out I was pregnant. I'd made a doctor's appointment to get on birth control the first week of November but couldn't get in until the end of December. They called and pushed it back to the middle of January but by then, it was too late. Even if I'd have gone on the twentieth like I should have, it was still too late. I was_ trying_ to be responsible, I swear."

I'd finished slapping on some mascara and lip gloss and pulled my hair into a ponytail. "I'm ready when you are."

"Okay. We'd better get going, so I can feed the two of you before the movie starts."

I laughed. "Let's go."

* * *

Seth took me to an Indian restaurant since I was craving something spicy. We sat down at the table and ordered our drinks. Seth a beer, me water.

I looked at his beer longingly. "I wish I could have one," I pouted.

"You like beer?"

"No. Not really," I admitted.

"Then why would you want one?" He took a pull from the bottle.

"Because. I can't have one until September. You know, you always want something you can't have." I took a drink of my water and frowned.

"I see."

The waiter came over and took our orders. I couldn't wait to eat. I spent all day trying to keep from throwing up, so by the time dinnertime came around, and I was no longer nauseated, I was famished.

"So what's new in La Push?" I rested my face in my hand and leaned toward him. "I don't really ask Charlie. We tend to keep it simple. Edward, work, sports, and fishing."

In all honesty, I'd been avoiding Charlie since I found out I was pregnant. I wasn't sure how to break the news, but I knew I was going to have to figure it out soon. I couldn't hide it forever, but I was in no way looking forward to his reaction.

He let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, nothing much. Quil and Embry just moved back and opened their own garage. Um, let me think... Leah just finished getting her master's in Criminal Psychology. Obviously, you know that Dad still spends practically every weekend fishing with Charlie."

"Yeah." I smiled. "What about the Black's?"

He leaned in and looked at me seriously. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah. I do."

He nodded. "Billy still does his thing in La Push. Um, Rachel and Paul got married last year."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Rebecca still lives in Hawaii. She's got a couple of kids now." The waiter served us our food. He took a bite before saying anything else. "So how are you dealing with Edward being gone?"

"I'm not." I did not like where this conversation was headed. It had been so much fun pretending like everything was all right.

He looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I pretty much ignore it. It hurts too much to think about him." I looked down at my plate and felt the familiar pain radiating in my chest.

"I'm sorry." He started to reach his hand out to me but pulled it back.

"Thanks."

We were quiet while we continued to eat.

Seth's eyes widened drastically as he looked down at my plate. "Jesus, Bella! You inhaled it!"

I looked down at my plate and realized it was almost empty. "I was hungry," I said sheepishly.

"I'll say! How many mini-Edwards have you got in there?" he joked.

"Just one, I hope." I felt my face flush. "I can hardly eat anything except at dinner." I shrugged. "I've apparently got another three weeks of this before I'll start feeling any better."

"Well, I must say. You don't look pregnant. You still look like the same old Bella to me." He grinned.

"Thanks." I blushed. My face was going to be permanently red after spending a few hours with Seth.

"Anytime. So are you happy about having a baby?"

"Yeah. I am. At first, I cried. I mean, I always wanted the baby. From the day I found out. But the timing was all wrong. I was mostly upset that I didn't have a way to tell Edward." I looked down. "I don't know, maybe I'm not explaining it right."

"No, I think I understand." He looked at the check.

"How much is my half?" I reached down to get my wallet.

He pulled it back, so I couldn't see it. "Nope. I'm buying."

"Seth! This isn't a date. I get to pay my part," I protested.

"I know. But my momma taught me right." He studied my annoyed expression for a moment. "I'll tell you what, you can pay for the movie."

"Okay." I grinned.

* * *

We watched a comedy; I needed a good laugh. Seth drove me home and walked me to my door. We were still laughing about the movie.

"I literally had tears in my eyes at one point!" Seth said, laughing loudly.

"I know, me too!" I took a deep breath. "I've got to stop laughing, my stomach is killing me!"

"Mine, too."

I looked at Seth seriously. It was good to feel that connection to Forks again. "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked as a puzzled expression crossed his face.

"I needed to laugh. I haven't really, truly laughed since Edward left."

"That's sad."

"I know." Seth leaned down and kissed my forehead. It was very comforting--almost brotherly.

"What was that for?"

"I missed you. You disappeared after Jacob died. I forgot how much fun you are." He shrugged and looked away like the admission was embarrassing for him.

"Thanks. I missed you, too. I was really happy when Edward said he was friends with you. I'd forgotten how much of my life I tried to push away when I left Forks. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, but you have to promise me you won't do it again." He looked at me carefully. "You hurt a lot of people when you left."

"I know," I said quietly.

"Well, I'll call you sometime next week. We can get together again and hang out. Maybe Alice can join us. It'll be almost like old times."

Almost was the key word, but it didn't make me sad like it used to. "Sounds good. I'll talk to you later."

I walked in the bedroom and laid down. The ache in my chest was still there, but I hadn't noticed it until Seth left.

_He was a good distraction,_ I mused.

If I was going to survive until June, I needed all the distractions I could get.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for the reviews! Well, except the one, LOL. I couldn't help but laugh at it...why someone would take the time to set up a page dedicated to something they hate is beyond me, but whatever. I've got better things to do with my time than worry about stuff like that.**

**This chapter starts out a little lemony...**

* * *

Chapter 18

**Edward**

_Bella was sitting on the desk in my office in a short, black skirt and a crisp, white button down shirt, with enough buttons undone to expose her pert little breasts._

_"Dr. Cullen." She smirked._

_"Ms. Swan," I said, smiling. "What can I do for you?"_

_"I need you to examine me," she said seductively. I felt my dick get hard._

_"What seems to be the problem?" I walked over to her and gently stroked her thigh._

_"I have this throbbing, aching feeling in between my legs." She looked up from behind her lashes and blushed. "Do you think you could take care of it for me?"_

_I ran my hand up her thigh and into her skirt. She wasn't wearing any underwear. I slowly ran my fingers up her slit, eliciting a soft moan--she was already wet._

_My dick was now pushing against the zipper of my jeans. "When do you get this feeling?" I managed to choke out._

_"Whenever I think of you. Please, Dr. Cullen. You're the only one who can help me." She smiled innocently as she said this._

_"I think I can do something about this." I paused. "But you need to do something for me first."_

_"Anything," she breathed._

_"I need you to put that pretty little mouth of yours on my cock." _

_She got up off the desk and kneeled in front of me. She pushed my jeans and boxers down to my knees, causing my dick to bounce as it was freed. She ran her hand down my length, squeezing lightly before moving her mouth to the head. She licked the tip before taking me into her mouth. I groaned and felt my hips involuntarily buck with pleasure as she bobbed her head up and down. I could feel the tension coil in my body as she worked my dick. _

_"Bella," I grunted. I was so close. She grazed her teeth up and down my shaft, causing my body to explode. "BELLA!" _

I woke up curled into a ball. My dick was throbbing, just waiting for release. I reached down and hissed as I closed my hand over myself. I started pumping, trying to get some sort of relief from the massive hard on I'd woken to, but I couldn't find any. The hole in my chest was burning, like someone had taken a torch and lit it on fire. I shuddered in pain and sat up. I had to get out of here--NOW.

I stood up and tried to make my way out of the mosquito net, but I'd somehow tangled myself in it while I was sleeping.

"FUCK!" I roared, ripping it away from my feet. I ran out of the hut and went straight to the river. I sat down on the bank and cradled my head in my hands.

_One more month. One more month_, I chanted to myself, trying to control the pain that was blazing through my chest.

I heard someone move through the thick underbrush and looked back to see my father walking slowly toward me. "Are you all right?"

I nodded my head. I couldn't speak just yet.

"I'm sorry, Edward." His face was full of remorse. "I wish I'd never asked you to come."

"I know." He'd apologized almost every day since I'd told him I was leaving. "It's okay, really. I didn't have to come with you." _But I did._

* * *

**Bella**

"Alice, it's okay. I've got it."

I was rolling the small suitcase behind me. We were at the airport so that I could catch a flight to Chicago to visit Emmett and Rosalie for the weekend.

"But you're not supposed to do any heavy lifting!" she protested.

"Alice, do you see me lifting anything?"

"Well, no, but..." She trailed off when she spotted Jasper coming toward us.

"Hey, Jazz!" I said as he walked over.

"Hey, Bells."

He grabbed the suitcase from my hand and started rolling it behind him. "Hey! I can do it myself!"

"But you're not going to." He didn't even look at me.

I stopped and crossed my arms over my chest, pouting. I looked like a child, but I didn't care. "Are you coming, Bella?" Alice called back.

"Nope."

"Come on, Bella. Quit being a baby," Jasper said. Neither of them had stopped walking yet.

I quickly realized no amount of arguing would do any good, so I hurried to catch up with them. "What time does your flight leave?" Alice was rummaging through her purse.

"One-twenty." I walked over to the elevator and pressed the button. Apparently, this was still allowed.

"'Kay. What time do you get in on Sunday?"

"Um, not until around six-thirty, I think." I grabbed my flight itinerary from my bag. "Yep. I should arrive at six twenty-five."

I took vacation time from work to tell everyone about the baby. I could hardly fit into my jeans anymore; I wasn't going to be able to keep it a secret much longer so there wasn't even a reason to try. Not only that, but I had to stop being so cowardly about it. It wasn't the most ideal situation to be found in, but I was beginning to get excited about becoming a mother. I wanted to be able to voice that excitement to everyone else as well.

Renée took it well. She was mostly worried about Edward's reaction when he came home. Charlie, however, was not thrilled. He was angry at first that I'd gotten myself 'in this position'. But he was slowly coming around, calling and asking me how I felt daily.

I was getting better all the time. I was learning to cope with the ache that resided in my chest, and at times, I was as happy as I'd been before Edward. I could see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. It was March; I was halfway through the emptiness without him.

We checked my bag--at Jasper's insistence--even though it was small enough to take on the plane and walked over to the security checkpoint.

"You have a doctor's appointment on Monday, right?"

"Yeah. At eight-ten."

"Can I come?" Alice's eyes were dancing with enthusiasm. It was my first doctor's appointment since finding out about the baby.

"Of course." I laughed

She nodded, smiling brightly. "Well, have a good weekend."

I nodded, but didn't make a move to give them a hug or leave. "Hey, Alice?" I asked hesitantly, biting my lip.

"What's up, Bells?"

I fidgeted with my shirt before answering her. "Do you think they'll notice I'm pregnant right away?"

"Yes." My face dropped in shock. She laughed at my expression. "Your stomach may still be pretty flat, but you're boobs are a little bigger and your face is softer. Your hair and your skin look incredible. Not that they didn't before, but it's noticeable so I'm pretty sure they'll realize something's different."

"Great," I muttered sarcastically.

"Well, you were the one who waited until March to tell them," she chided.

"I know, I know." I had put it off as long as I could. "Okay. I'd better get going."

We said our goodbyes, and I got in line at the security checkpoint. If I was being honest with myself, I hadn't put off telling Emmett and Rosalie because I wasn't scared of their reaction, though that was definitely something to think about. I had put it off because I was afraid of my reaction to being at the last place I saw Edward. When I flew to Jacksonville for Christmas, I was still more or less catatonic. I wasn't aware of what was around me. Now that it had been almost three months, I was feeling more like myself. My incomplete self, but I wasn't going to complain. Spending time with Alice, Jasper, and Seth had been a Godsend. Without them, I would most likely still be curled up in a ball on the bed.

The ache in my chest stirred, taunting me as it grew stronger and stronger with each step I took toward the metal detectors and x-ray machines. I got through security and picked up my purse off the conveyor belt. I gave a little wave to Alice and Jasper before turning around to walk to the gate. I took one step and all the heart shattering feelings came back. I stumbled, but managed to right myself before falling. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

_You will not fall apart. You've made it this far._

"Miss, are you all right?" I opened my eyes to see one of the security guards watching me.

I cleared my throat. "I'm fine." I began walking again and didn't stop until I reached the gate.

* * *

The flight to Chicago was uneventful. I had started using the journal Renee gave me to write any book ideas I had. I spent the entire flight going through my notes, deciphering my terrible scribble. My thoughts seemed to be circling around a romance, but I still didn't have a clear, concise view of the characters themselves. I had bits and pieces written out, scenes that I loved, but I was unsure where they would be at in the story. I had no real direction and no clue what I wanted to story to ultimately be about.

Before I knew it, we were descending.

I walked to the baggage claim and saw Emmett and Rosalie waiting for me. "Bells!" Emmett called loudly.

As I walked closer to them, I could feel my heart thudding in my chest. "Hey, Em. Rose. It's good to see you guys."

Emmett pulled me into one of his famous bear hugs and quickly let me go. "You look great!"

I blushed. "Thanks."

I gave Rosalie a hug before motioning for me to spin around. "What have you been doing? You look amazing!"

I blushed even deeper. "Oh, um, nothing. I don't look that great," I muttered.

_Jeez, do I really look that different?_

"Eddie should take sabbaticals from you more often," Emmett joked. "It obviously agrees with you."

Rose gasped and slapped him on his chest. "Emmett!"

His bright blue eyes darted to mine, and his guilt was clear on his face. "I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"It's okay, Emmett. I know you didn't mean anything by it." I looked over at the baggage carousel. "There's my suitcase."

I moved to go get it, only to be pushed back by Emmett. "I got it, little sis." He grinned.

He came back with my suitcase in his hand. "Okay, let's go!"

We pulled into the three car garage at the back of the house. I couldn't tell anything about it except for that we were in a really good part of the city and that the house itself was huge. Rose and Emmett took my bags and led me into the kitchen.

"Wow, this is beautiful," I told them as I glanced around.

The kitchen was stark white with dark, espresso stained floors. It had stainless appliances and was immaculate. Modern. Very Rosalie Hale Cullen.

"Thanks," Rose replied. "Come on. I'll take you to your room."

She led me up a spiral staircase to the second floor, where the light blue bedroom I was sleeping in was.

"This is great! I love the wall color."

I wondered idly about using something similar for the baby's room. It was almost a periwinkle color. I grinned as I saw myself standing in front of a white crib and picking up my coppery-haired little girl. My hand went down to rub my stomach, but I caught myself and put my hand in my pocket instead.

"Thanks. We'll probably use it as a nursery once I get pregnant since it's so close to the master bedroom."

_Oh, crap._ "So, um, how's that going, anyway?" I asked uneasily.

"It's not. We've been trying for five months now with no luck." She shrugged her shoulders. "But it'll happen. We've still got plenty of time before we need to start worrying." She laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry." I was immediately racked with guilt. Rosalie had been trying for months to get pregnant, and here I was pregnant with a child that was a product of one time of carelessness.

"Well, anyways. I'll leave you alone for a few minutes. I'm going to order us something to eat." My brows knit in confusion. "I don't cook," she said laughing.

"Okay. I'll be down in a little bit. I'm just going to change my clothes first, maybe call Jasper and let him know I arrived safely." He had a tendency to worry more about me these days than Alice did.

"All right, see you downstairs."

* * *

We ate pizza and went to the bonus room. Emmett walked over to the bar and got himself a beer. "Anyone else want one?"

"No, thanks," I replied and Rosalie just shook her head.

"Want to play some Mario Kart?" he asked grinning. I looked at him and laughed. "What?"

"You are such a kid!" I smiled at him.

"Naw. I just know what fun is. Unlike Rose over there, who constantly has a stick up her ass." She gave Emmett the finger. He laughed. "Really, baby? In front of Bella? Awfully voyeuristic today, aren't you?"

"Oh, shut up," she said laughing.

Emmett took out two Wii remotes and put them in wheels. He turned to Rosalie and smiled mischievously. "Bet you twenty bucks I can kick your ass."

She looked at him and cocked her eyebrow. "You're on, football boy."

I made myself comfortable while they played. They were hilarious, shooting each other with turtle shells and running over each other. Emmett howled and cussed every time Rose got him.

Finally, they were finished. "I win. Pay up," Rose said, smugly.

"Damnit!" Emmett pulled a twenty out of his wallet and stuck it down Rosalie's shirt between her breasts.

She looked down at the twenty. "What, do I have 'Deposit here' written on my shirt?"

"No, it says 'Donate here'." Emmett replied.

"Yeah. It says 'Support the Fund'," I said, giggling.

Emmett was grinning widely. "Yep. Save the tatas. It should be mandatory that everyone donate. Too bad it's not October. We'd get even more money." We all burst out laughing.

After our laughter died down, I played a round with Emmett. He won easily. "I suck. I'm going to bed."

"Already?" Emmett whined.

"Yeah. I go to bed early these days." _Whoops._

He looked at me curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing." I looked down. I was going to have to tell them eventually, but I didn't know how.

"You're lying." My head snapped up, and I looked at him. "You are a terrible liar, Bella."

"Does it have to do with Edward being gone?" Rose asked. "Because when Emmett leaves for away games, I'm miserable without him."

"No, not exactly. But that's part of it."

"Sit down," Emmett demanded.

I reluctantly did.

"Tell me. How are you dealing with Edward being gone?"

"I'm not, Em. I avoid thinking about it as much as possible. It hurts too much when I think about not being with him." My voice broke.

"So are you tired all the time because you're depressed?" Rose asked.

"Of course I'm depressed he's not here," I replied evasively. "I don't know if you talked to Alice or not, but I couldn't eat, sleep, think--nothing at first. It was like I wasn't here. I was pretty much catatonic for the first week he was gone."

"But obviously you're not now." She looked at me intently. "So what changed?"

"Nothing, really. I just realized I was going to have to figure out how to function without Edward by my side." I took a deep breath-- it hurt. "And I do. I go to work and do all the everyday tasks. I laugh every once in a while. But I'm not whole. There's a piece of me missing. No matter how hard I laugh at something, my chest always aches. It always hurts to breathe." I shrugged my shoulders. "I've learned to live with it. I'm used to it."

"I'm sorry," Rosalie whispered.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek and nodded.

"But you didn't answer the question," Emmett stated.

I stared at him in disbelief. Aren't football players supposed to be dumber than a box of rocks? He missed nothing.

"Are you tired all the time because you're depressed?"

"No," I said quietly.

"Then what is it?" Rose asked. She leaned forward in concern.

I looked at her pleadingly. "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry." My eyes were swimming with tears.

"For what?" she asked with a bewildered expression on her face.

"I'm pregnant," I said softly, looking at the floor.

"What?" Emmett exclaimed.

"You heard me." _Don't make me repeat it._

"How far along are you?" Rose asked coldly. The Ice Queen was back.

"Almost fourteen weeks." Emmett's forehead creased. "Three and a half months, Emmett."

He nodded. "How long have you known?"

"I found out in January."

"You two didn't use any form of birth control?" Rose asked harshly.

"Yeah. We used condoms. I had an appointment with my doctor to talk to her about getting on the pill or something. That's how I found out, actually."

"But if you used condoms, how are you pregnant?" Her face was twisted in anger. "I realize they're not foolproof, but Edward isn't an idiot. Hell, he could've written you a prescription for something himself!"

"Rosie," Emmett warned.

She merely glared at him.

"I didn't know what I wanted, so we agreed that I would talk to my usual doctor about it." I shifted in my seat. "Jesus, you guys know how uncomfortable I am about this kind of thing," I grumbled. My entire body flushed.

"Can you explain how it happened? Because Rosie's right, Edward's very smart about this sort of thing," Emmett asked gently.

"The morning he left, we had sex in the shower." I paused; my face was burning. "No condom. We weren't exactly thinking clearly."

"It only took one time?" Emmett asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

He started laughing. I looked at him, mystified. "I didn't know Eddie had it in him!"

Rose looked at him, her eyes full of rage, and stormed out of the room. I took a shaky breath and felt tears fall down my face. They didn't surprise me. I'd resigned to being a blubbering wreck until the baby got here a while ago.

"I'm sorry," I cried, covering my face with my hands.

"Why? It's not like you did it on purpose."

I looked at him from between fingers. "You're not mad?"

"No! I'm going to be an uncle! This is fucking awesome!" He was beaming. "Does Eddie know?"

"No. I can't get a hold of him." I wiped the tears from my face.

"He's in for the surprise of his life when he gets home."

He shook his head and walked over to me, putting his hand on my shoulder and gently squeezing. "It's okay. Don't beat yourself up over it, Bells. She'll get over it. This is probably just hard for her to swallow because she wants what you have so badly." He ran his hand through his hair, reminding me so much of Edward. "She should be mad at me, not you. I was the one who made her wait; I wasn't ready for it."

"You should go talk to her. She needs you."

"You'll be okay?"

I nodded silently, so he walked away.

I sat there for a while, afraid to go anywhere near the master bedroom. I could hear yelling and screaming and muffled cries coming from somewhere in the house. I had no idea what Rosalie was saying, and I was pretty sure I didn't want to know.

I must have fallen asleep while I waited for her shrieks to end, because the next thing I knew, I felt Emmett's strong hands lift me off the couch.

"Shh, Bella. I'm taking you upstairs. Go back to sleep."

* * *

I woke up the next morning and sighed. My life just seemed to get more and more complicated every day. I wanted to be angry at Rosalie for her reaction last night, but I couldn't do it. I was partially my fault for waiting so long to tell everyone. If I would've just straightened my spine and told everyone in January, she wouldn't have had any extra time to get her own hopes up for a baby, only to have them crushed when it didn't happen.

But she could've at least been tactful about it instead of storming off and screaming about how horrible I was all night long.

I took my time getting out of bed and in the shower. I wrote a little bit before getting dressed and heading to the kitchen. I was doing everything in my power to avoid seeing Rose for as long as possible.

I walked in the kitchen and saw Rose standing over a skillet in the kitchen.

_So much for avoiding Rose. _

I rocked on the balls of my feet with indecision. I couldn't decide whether I should stay or turn around and leave the room before she noticed me.

I took a deep breath. _Stay,_ I thought decisively.

"I thought you didn't cook," I said tentatively.

She turned around and gave me a tight smile. "I usually don't."

I walked over and poured a cup of coffee. I took a sip, savoring it. It was the only cup I would get for the day.

"Looks good. Are you in the mood for pancakes?"

"No, actually, I'm not." Her back was turned to me so I couldn't decipher the stoic tone.

"Oh. Are they for Emmett?" I took a another sip of my coffee. It was heaven.

"No. They're for you."

"Me?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah." She flipped them onto a plate and handed it to me. "It's not much, but I thought it was a start to apologizing to you."

I didn't know what to say, so I just stared. Rosalie didn't seem like the type of woman to offer an apology willingly.

"I shouldn't have gotten pissed off like that. It wasn't like you deliberately got knocked up to hurt me."

I cringed at her bluntness. "No, I didn't," I responded simply. I took a bite of the pancakes since my stomach was snarling loudly. They were pretty good for someone who didn't cook.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that I've wanted to have a baby for as long as I can remember. Emmett and I have been married for three years, and he's finally ready to have a baby, too."

I kept quiet. I wasn't sure how much Emmett was supposed to have divulged last night.

"I'm not delusional, I figured it would take a few months, but it doesn't make me any less anxious for it to happen. And then to hear you say that you were pregnant, well, I guess I acted irrationally."

I had a feeling the apology wasn't totally heartfelt. At least, not yet. She seemed to be harboring some pretty harsh resentment toward me at the moment. I couldn't really blame her, though. I had a feeling if the shoe was on the other foot, so to speak, I'd feel the same. Especially since I knew firsthand what it felt like to be ruled by your hormones.

I swallowed. "Thanks."

She stood there, watching me eat for a minute. "So it really only took one time, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Wow," she breathed. "Edward must have super sperm," she said teasingly.

I almost choked on the bite I was chewing, I was so shocked by her joke. "I guess so," I said, chuckling.

"You said you were fourteen weeks?"

"Yeah, on Monday, I think." There was so much to keep track of, I wasn't positive.

"You're not showing yet." It was almost like an accusation.

I laughed. "Actually, my jeans are unbuttoned as we speak."

She smiled. "So have you felt it move yet?"

"No, not yet. I think I read in the pregnancy book my doctor gave me that it should be in the next few weeks." I took a drink of my dwindling cup of coffee. "I'm not in any hurry, though."

"Why not?"

"Because, it's something I wish I could share with Edward." I frowned and took the last bite. "These were good."

"Obviously." She laughed and took the empty plate to the sink. "So what do you think you're having?"

"A girl." _The little girl from my dream_, I thought to myself.

"Really? You sound sure."

I smiled back at her. "I am."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Edward**

I watched the lush green plant life of the Amazon floor pass us by in blur. We were speeding out of the rainforest and on our way to Manaus before flying to Rio de Janeiro where Carlisle, Esme, and the rest of the team would catch a flight back to Africa and do some work in the Congo, while I caught a flight back to Seattle. Back to my life and my love.

I could feel myself growing restless as the vegetation slowly thinned out. I couldn't stop it. The thought of seeing Bella's beautiful face and the smile she had only for me in a matter of mere days had me feeling jittery with anticipation. I couldn't wait to breathe her in and feel her warm body against me as I held her in my arms. I couldn't wait to sleep next to her, in our bed, and wake up to her snarled hair brushing against my cheek. I even wanted to feel the cool Seattle air and hear the fat drops of rain pattering outside as we spent a lazy day in bed together, reacquainting ourselves in every way.

I could see Esme and Carlisle watching me from the corner of my eye.

"I know," I groaned. "I can't help it." I felt like an idiot.

Carlisle merely chuckled while Esme responded. "You're like a little boy again. I remember when we took you and Emmett to the Superbowl. You were twelve; Emmett was ten. You boys bounced around in the back of the rental car the entire way to the stadium." She laughed. "It was almost identical to the way you're bouncing around now."

I laughed at the memory, but it felt forced. I was going home to the picturesque scene I'd envisioned, but it didn't do anything to relieve the pain I felt without Bella near. Nothing would until I was back home again.

"I remember. I wanted to kill Emmett by the time we got there. He wouldn't shut up the entire drive."

"Wasn't that the trip he said he was going to grow up to be a football player?" Carlisle asked.

"Yeah, I think it was." Who'd have thought he would've actually done it?

"So are you going to call Bella and tell her you're on your way home?" Esme asked me.

"No, I think I'm going to surprise her."

Esme's face lit up in response. Apparently, she liked my idea.

I'd thought about it a lot in the last few weeks. The phone had cut out before I'd gotten a chance to tell her I was coming home when I spoke to her on Valentine's Day. Since then, I had gone back and forth between calling her as soon as I got into Rio and just showing up on our front door step. I was leaning more toward just showing up and wrapping her in my arms and listening to her scream of surprise when I did.

I replayed our conversation that day, and my heart started racing. She had something 'big' to tell me. I couldn't imagine what it would be. I'd racked my brain over and over for anything that could have been what Bella considered 'big news', only to come up empty. Nothing fit the feeling I had.

The tugging on my brain I'd constantly felt since February increased. I felt like it would snap my head back at any moment and show me how stupid I was for not figuring it out. Bella could have meant anything by her words. A new job, a move, something with Alice and Jasper or Emmett and Rosalie. I ignored the thought about it involving someone besides Bella and me. It seemed like whatever it was, was going to greatly impact our relationship.

I just prayed it was good news and not something along the lines of 'I met someone else'.

Carlisle saw the fear on my face. "Edward? Is there something on your mind?"

"I just keep thinking of my conversation with Bella." I hadn't told anyone about it yet. "She said she had something to tell me. Something big. I guess I'm just nervous about finding out what it is."

"Did she say it was bad?" Esme asked me with a concerned look.

I thought about it. "No. She said it was just big."

It was actually a little comforting to recall the sound of her voice when we last spoke. She wasn't fearful or regretful. She was simply nervous.

"Well, maybe she wrote a novel or contacted an agent or something. You said she always wanted to write. Maybe that's the big news." Esme said comfortingly.

"Maybe." It was definitely a possibility. I hoped that was what the big news was, but something in my gut told me it wasn't. Again, it just didn't fit that feeling I had.

_What the hell was going on?_

I kept silent for the rest of the boat ride. My brain felt like it was racing at a hundred miles an hour, swimming with the most unimportant, random thoughts. I couldn't seem to stay focused on a single subject long enough to fully understand what the meaning was behind the strange things my mind was conjuring up.

My brain finally skid to a halt, locking on one specific thought: I'd been away from Bella for exactly one hundred and eight days. It felt like a fucking lifetime.

I hated having all of this time to think before I saw Bella. I couldn't stop myself from worrying, tormenting myself with the possibility that things would no longer feel the same between us. What if I came back and found that she no longer felt the same way I did?

The thought reached in my chest like a disembodied hand and squeezed my heart. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but what if I had destroyed the single most important thing in my life with this trip?

I wasn't sure if I would be able to live through something like that. I'd gotten so insanely excited with the prospect of going home and seeing her, I wasn't sure if I could take the abysmal reality I was beginning to fear for myself.

No, I wouldn't believe that. We were still somehow connected to one another, even though I was thousands of miles away. She was who I was meant to be with; I felt incomplete without her. It was like the pieces of my disconnected heart snapped together when I found her. She was the other half to my whole. I knew with every cell in my body that she loved me as deeply-- as binding-- as I loved her. Anything less seemed horribly awry.

So what was I really afraid of? If I knew the love I felt for Bella would always be returned, why was I so nervous with the thought of going home?

It didn't make a bit of fucking sense to me.

By the time I came out of my bizarre trance, we were landing in Rio de Janeiro. I'd managed to get off a boat and board a plane without realizing it.

I glanced around and saw Carlisle and Esme getting their bags from the overhead compartment. I quickly threw my iPod in my carry-on and stood up, exiting the plane behind them.

I followed them to their gate before heading to pick up my bag from the baggage claim. Unfortunately for me, my flight wasn't scheduled to leave until the tomorrow afternoon. It made the anticipation almost unbearable.

Esme threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too, Mom."

She released me and looked into my eyes. "I've enjoyed spending the last few months with you, even though you haven't really been yourself."

"Thanks," I muttered.

_I'm such a shitty son sometimes._

"Oh, don't blame yourself, Edward. Just go home. Once Carlisle and I return to Chicago I expect a visit from you and Bella."

"Yes, ma'am," I said sarcastically, making her smile.

I turned to Carlisle and gave him a brief hug. "Tell Bella we love her."

"I will." I pulled away and looked at the both of them. "You two be careful," I said seriously. The Congo was known to be a dangerous place. I'd never forgive myself if I left, and something happened to either of them.

"Of course," Carlisle said. "Goodbye, Edward. Have a safe flight."

"You, too. Bye."

I grabbed my bag and took a taxi to the hotel. I checked-in and walked up to my room, flopping down on the bed as soon as I got in.

After a while, I picked up the phone and ordered room service. I ate my dinner while watching a movie in Portuguese, thankful I had taken lessons in high school. My Portuguese was broken, but it was enough to get the gist of the story.

I brushed my teeth and crawled under the covers, trying to sleep. But like most nights, sleep wouldn't come. I tossed and turned for hours thinking of Bella, feeling the hole in my chest burn and pulsate like another life force, before finally becoming exhausted enough to fall asleep.

* * *

I woke up and blinked until I could see around the hotel room clearly. I felt my face break out into an involuntary, wide smile. I was catching a flight home today. I would be travelling for over twenty-four hours, but it was no matter. Nothing could diminish the good mood I'd woken up in, because by this time tomorrow, I'd be home at last.

I brushed my teeth and shaved before I jumped in the shower, scrubbing myself down quickly. I felt better than I had in months just knowing I would see Bella soon. The gaping hole in my chest didn't seem so big, so painful. Instead of waking up feeling like someone had driven a stake through my heart, I awoke to a dull throbbing that I gladly welcomed over the burning wound I'd grown accustomed to.

But I still felt that illusive pull on my brain, reminding me there was something important I wasn't aware of yet.

I looked in the mirror and ran my hands through my hair. It wasn't like I could do anything with it, so I didn't bother; it tended to have a mind of its own. I noticed the deep purple shadows that seemed to permanently sit under my eyes were slightly less noticeable. I managed to get three hours of sleep last night-- a record since leaving Seattle.

I checked out of the hotel and wasted time by seeing some of the sights until it was time to head to the airport. I checked in and went through security, stopping and picking up a burger and a bottle of water before heading to the gate.

I sat down and waited for the flight to board, my hand constantly twitching toward my cell phone. I wanted to hear Bella's voice so badly, it took every ounce of control I had not to call.

I boarded the flight and took my seat, grabbing my iPod and putting in the ear buds. I selected a playlist and listened to the fast paced rock streaming out--music I listened to whenever I was working out or needed to relieve stress. Angry music as Bella liked to call it.

I closed my eyes and didn't open them again until I felt the plane shake beneath me. Looking out the window, I saw the runway lights of the Houston airport go by. Dazed, I looked around the cabin. I must have slept the entire flight.

_The entire twelve hour flight._

I drug my hand through my hair and glanced back out the window The sun was rising. I subconsciously ran my hand over my chest and abruptly stopped. I felt better_._ Not perfect, not well. But _better_.

I grabbed my carry-on and deboarded the plane, unable to stop speculating why. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Esme's metaphor of the earth circling the sun was probably the most accurate. Bella was my own personal sun. The closer I got to her and her wonderful gravitational force, the better I felt.

I walked over to the bookstore and bought a couple of books before grabbing a bagel and a cup of coffee. I had a two and a half hour layover before the flight back in Seattle.

I took a seat by the gate and opened one of the books, reading a few chapters before checking my watch. It had been only twenty minutes. I ground my teeth in frustration. The clock seemed to tick sluggishly, moving almost imperceptibly with each glance.

I tried to read some more, but it was no use. I couldn't seem to concentrate on the page in front of me. I looked at my watch again. Only another fifteen minutes had gone by.

_FUCK! _

I was so eager to get back to Bella, I thought I would lose my mind before I left Houston.

Finally, the flight started boarding. If I thought I'd feel some relief from the impatience once we lifted off, I was sadly mistaken. The four and a half hour flight seemed to drag on excruciatingly slow. I fidgeted anxiously the entire flight. It seemed never-ending, destined to nowhere.

I looked out the window and saw that we were finally flying over the Cascades. My heart started thumping loudly in my chest, beating so strongly I felt my pulse vibrating throughout my entire body. The drumming in my chest was almost intolerable. I bounced my foot absently while I looked around the cabin, trying to distract myself.

I glanced at the woman next to me and noticed she was watching me intently.

I felt one side of my mouth pull up into a half-smile. "Sorry. Am I bothering you?"

She smiled brightly back, keeping her gaze focused on my mouth. "No, not at all. You seem anxious. Are you scared of flying or something?"

"No." I shook my head and smiled fully in response.

She looked at me speculatively. "So if you're not afraid to fly, why the theatrics?" She smiled pleasantly, revealing a row of perfect white teeth.

I stared at her and decided that under any other circumstances, I would find her beautiful. She had big, blue eyes and long, straight, light blond hair--almost white. Even folded up into the chair, I could tell she was tall and willowy.

But she was no Bella.

I smiled politely back. "I'm actually on my way home. I've been gone for almost four months."

Her face was friendly, open. "Doing what exactly?"

I pushed my hair back with my hand uncomfortably. "Uh, working with my father, actually. He put together a team of doctors to travel around the world and give medical attention to those who can't afford it or have no access to a hospital." It sounded so pretentious sometimes.

Her brow quirked and the pleasant smile she was wearing slowly turned devious. "Wow, that's wonderful. So I take it you're a doctor?"

"Yeah." I swallowed audibly in discomfort. There was nowhere to hide from this woman unless I locked myself in the lavatory until we landed.

Actually, that wasn't such a bad idea.

"What's your specialty?" Her eyes were still appraising me, raking up and down my torso and roaming over my face.

"Um, emergency medicine."

_Why did I start talking to her?_ I wanted to kick myself in the ass for striking up a conversation with this girl.

She nodded her head and smiled that wicked grin again. "I'm Lauren Mallory," she said, extending her hand.

"Edward Cullen." I took her hand even though I didn't want to and had to yank it away from hers.

"Cullen?" Her eyes widened. "Your father isn't Carlisle Cullen, is it?"

I resisted running my hand through my hair again. "Actually, yeah. Are you a doctor as well?"

"No, med student. I'm actually getting ready to start my internship in a few months." She paused. "Your father's a genius."

It did not surprise me that a med student would know who my father was. He was one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons in the country. Some of his more non-invasive surgeries involving valve replacements and congenital repairs had made him famous in the world of medicine.

I nodded. "Yes, he is."

"Have you lived in Seattle long?"

"Since last May."

She was studying me intently; it was a little nerve wracking. "What? Do I have something on my face?" I didn't know what else to say to break her stare.

"No." She laughed. "I'm sorry. I was staring, wasn't I?" I nodded. "I just couldn't help but think you're smart, successful, handsome, and rich.... And you're not wearing a wedding ring. How is someone like you not taken yet?"

_Oh, thank God. An opening._

"Actually, I'm engaged."

"Really?" She looked down at my hands. "That's a shame."

"For who? Certainly not for me." The smile was plastered on my face, but inside I was screaming for the plane to land.

"For all the single girls in Seattle." She looked at me sideways. "Your fiancée is one lucky girl."

"Thank you. I feel the same way about myself. She's the most incredible woman I've ever known." I was hoping to convey to her exactly _how_ taken I was.

The captain came over the intercom announcing that we were beginning our descent into Seattle. I put my ear buds in my ears and turned on my iPod to save myself from having to have another uncomfortable conversation with her.

I exited the plane and grabbed my bag off the carousel before making my way to rent a car. I was not waiting on a taxi. I wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

I raced through the city as I made my way home. I pulled in the circular drive and practically threw myself out of the car and up the porch steps.

I hesitated at the door, unsure if I wanted to surprise Bella by just walking in or ringing the door bell. My heart was drumming loudly in my chest again, and I broke out into a sweat. I was feeling so many things at once; fear, impatience, nervousness, excitement, joy. It was like my brain and my heart couldn't decide which emotion fit the moment best so I was thrown into them all.

I took a deep breath and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans before reaching for the door. I was just footsteps away from my beautiful Bella.

I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw me.

* * *

**Bella**

I got up off the couch and stretched, stiff from sitting for two hours reading the new book I'd bought. I shivered and started toward the bedroom to get a sweatshirt from the closet and heard the doorbell on my way.

I opened the door and my face dropped in shock. "Seth! What are you doing here?" I grinned in excitement.

He looked me up and down. I had a tank top on and sweatpants. The tank top showed off the small bump that had just started to stick out.

"Holy shit! Bella! You look pregnant!" It'd been a couple of weeks since I'd seen Seth and apparently I'd grown since then.

I quickly covered my stomach with my arms and blushed. "Yeah, I know. It just seemed to appear overnight."

"It's so cute," he told me in his best girl voice and leaned down to kiss my forehead.

I laughed.

He held up his hands, revealing the bags in them. "I aced all my midterms. I thought we could hang out and celebrate."

"That's great!" I eyed the bags. "What have you got?"

"I brought a couple of movies and this." He handed me one of the bags.

I peeked inside the bag and squealed.

_Damn hormones._

Seth had brought me a pint of cookie dough ice cream and a jar of pickles. They were practically the only things I ate, I craved them so much. Thankfully, it was not together. Otherwise, I probably would've disgusted everyone that came within a ten foot radius of me.

"Thank you!" I reached up and hugged him tightly. "You're the best."

"Yeah, well, I figured you'd be running low, so I thought I'd pick you some up."

I grinned. "I was completely out." I glanced behind us as I shut the door. "Where's your car?"

"I let a buddy of mine borrow it. He's supposed to get his car back in a couple hours and drop mine off afterwards," he explained.

We walked into the kitchen and put the ice cream in the freezer and the pickles in the fridge. "I'm going to grab a sweatshirt really fast. Do you want to go ahead and put in one of the movies?"

"Sure."

I walked into the closet and looked around, hesitating. I suddenly had this inexplicable compulsion to have some sort of connection to Edward. Something other than just my memories. I grabbed one of Edward's Harvard sweatshirts and slowly brought it to my face, knowing the pain I was going to put myself in. I inhaled deeply, smelling his irresistibly sweet scent. Tears flooded my eyes, and I felt a crack go through my heart. I slipped it on and took a deep breath before going into the living room with Seth, ignoring the familiar ache throbbing in my chest.

He looked at the sweatshirt for a minute and cocked his brow. "You doing okay there, Bells?"

"Yeah. I'm okay." I sat down on the couch and waited for Seth to join me.

We watched the movie for a little while before I rested my head on his shoulder. "You're a good friend, you know that?" I asked seriously.

"Thanks, Bells." He looked over at me. "What brought that on?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I was just thinking the other day that if it hadn't been for you, Alice and Jasper, I don't think I would have made it this long without Edward. I think I would have been locked up in the psych ward by now."

He sat there for a minute, thinking. "I'm glad we're friends again. Actually, I think there might be more to it than that." My eyes widened and he looked down at me seriously, cupping my face in his hand. My heart raced with fear. "You're like the sister I never had."

I released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Jesus, Seth," I muttered and felt my face heat up.

"Had you going there for a second, didn't I?" His mouth was in a tight line, trying not to smile, but his black eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Yeah." I turned myself so that I was facing him. He was laughing now. "What do you mean, 'I'm like the sister you never had'? Seth, you_ have_ a sister!"

"Yeah, but she's a bitch." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Seth Clearwater! That's your sister! You shouldn't call her a bitch!"

_Even though she is,_ I added mentally.

Leah Clearwater was not known to be the friendliest of people.

"Oh, please. Like you can tell me otherwise." I didn't say anything. "See, everyone knows she's a bitch."

"Maybe," I allowed.

He laughed lightly before running his fingers down the sleeve of the sweatshirt. "So what's with the shirt?"

He knew I avoided anything and everything that reminded me of Edward. It was very unlike me to willingly subject myself to the pain I felt when I thought of him. I wasn't sure what was different about today; maybe I was turning into a masochist. It was strange, but even though the ache in my chest was stronger, and I struggled to keep my breathing even, I felt good. Like he was somehow closer to me.

"I honestly don't know. I had every intention of getting one of my sweatshirts out of the closet but when I went in, I had this impulse to wear one of Edward's."

"And you just decided to follow it?" he asked dubiously.

I nodded my head. "Don't get me wrong, it was probably a mistake. I can feel myself on the edge of a break down." His eyebrows shot up. "But I don't know. I feel like he's closer somehow." I paused and looked down. "It's probably just hormones."

"Yeah, 'cause your mood swings turn my head around so fast, I'm surprised I don't have whiplash," he teased.

I laughed. "I'm not _that_ bad, am I?"

"No. I mean, I have no experience with pregnant girls, so I'm just guessing here, but you're pretty mellow."

"Really?" I asked skeptically.

"Yep. So how's little Edward, Jr.?" he asked, pointing to my stomach.

"Fine. Kicking me lick crazy."

His face lit up. "Bella! Can I see if he'll kick me?"

"Yeah. But I'm pretty sure it's a girl, so you may want to change the pronoun you use." I shifted my body so that Seth could put his hands on my stomach.

"A girl? Really?" He moved his hands under the sweatshirt, resting them between the sweatshirt and my tank top.

"How do you know?" He glanced down. "Come on, kid, kick!"

"Just a feeling I have." I shrugged.

We sat there for a few minutes, waiting for something to happen. "You've got your ultrasound on Thursday, right?"

"Yeah."

"You excited?" He looked back up to my face.

"Yeah. I am." I paused. "Seth, I don't think you're going to get kicked."

"Yes, I will. Just be patient." He didn't move.

"Seth, Alice can't even get the baby to kick for her, and she's tried practically every day for the last two weeks." It was beginning to get old.

"Alice just doesn't have the touch," he said smugly.

"We'll see." We sat there for a few minutes before Seth started mumbling something under his breath, his face close to my stomach.

"What are you down there talking about?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Just telling her how lucky she is to have you and Edward as parents, and that she'll be the prettiest baby anyone ever saw." He shrugged. "You know, the normal oohing and ahhing everyone does over babies."

"Thanks." I smiled sincerely at him.

"Anytime." His hands were still on my stomach but he sat up, leaning over to kiss my cheek.

"What the fuck?"

My heart slammed into my throat. I'd recognize that velvety smooth voice anywhere. Even angry, Edward's voice sent chills through me.

Seth and I snapped our heads around to the doorway to see Edward rigidly standing there, his face distorted with fury. His green eyes blazed as they darted back and forth between Seth and me.

He was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt, and his bronze hair was in its usual gorgeous mess on top of his head. His jaw was covered with stubble, and there were shadows under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in a while.

He was even more beautiful than I'd remembered.

"Edward?" I whispered. I must be going insane--I was clearly hallucinating. I reached over and clutched Seth's arm. "Tell me you see him, too," I breathed.

He nodded. "Hey, man! What's up? I thought you weren't going to be back for another couple of months." Seth smiled brightly at Edward.

Edward said nothing; he just stood there glaring at Seth.

I needed to move, but I couldn't get my body to cooperate. It was like I was frozen, stunned into silence.

_Edward's here. Get up!_

I finally managed to break the ice that had formed around me and jumped off the couch.

"Edward!" I exclaimed, practically running over to him. The look he gave me stopped me in my tracks. It was pure, tortured agony.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I could feel the tears filling my eyes as he continued to stare me down.

Without a word, he spun around and rushed out of the room.

I could feel Seth put his hands on my shoulders saying something in my ear, but I couldn't understand it. All I could think of was that Edward had been here and left, clearly in pain.

What could have made him leave like that?

I stood there motionless, unable to process what had just taken place. When I could finally make myself think again, I thought about what Seth and I had been saying, and what we had been doing when Edward walked in. What would it look like from someone on the outside? Seth was leaning over to peck my cheek, and his hands were on my stomach. I looked down at my body and realized that you couldn't tell I was pregnant with the big, bulky sweatshirt on.

_Oh, God._

I fought with the bile that rose in my throat, and I ripped it off in disgust. Finally, something clicked in my brain.

_He thought Seth and I..._

I couldn't finish the thought. I felt the air rush out of my lungs in a defeated sigh as I collapsed on the floor.

"Shit!" My chest felt like it had been ripped open and left bleeding.

Every part of me mutinied against the pain. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move. I couldn't think straight. My brain seemed to shut itself down at the emotional onslaught my body was sending it; I was literally hysterical. Nothing made sense, not Edward's reaction--not even my reaction. I should have ran after him and forced him to talk to me instead of freaking out, but seeing him for a brief moment after missing him for so long had somehow made me stupid and frail.

Something picked me up and sat me on the couch, but my eyes were so flooded with tears I couldn't see clearly.

"Bella! Bella, listen to me! You have to stop this!"

I wasn't sure how. I knew that I needed to, but the pain in my chest was so severe, it was all I could do to hold on to consciousness.

"Bells, come on! Please!" Was that Seth? Was he begging?

I felt warm hands rub circles on my back, soothing me. Eventually, the pain died down. My whole body racked with the tremors it sent through me, but I could at least do something besides cry.

I opened my mouth and shut it, afraid--_unwilling_--to say it, but I knew I needed to. I was gasping for air, trying to control the heaving of my chest.

"He thought we... He left... We... How stupid...?" I couldn't get it out and just let out a series of unintelligible screeches.

"I know." Seth wiped the tears away from my eyes and looked at me fiercely. "I'll go find him. Talk to him. Explain it to him."

"How could he...?" I was still hiccupping from sobbing so violently, but I needed to say it. "How could he think... we w-would d-do that?"

"I don't know." His face was set in a scowl. He laid me down on the couch and grabbed a blanket out of the cabinet.

"D-Don't t-t-tell him about th-the...baby." I was so tired all of the sudden. "Let me."

He tucked the blanket around me and nodded. "Do you want me to call Alice?"

"No. I just want to sleep." I could barely keep my eyes open.

"Okay, Bells. Just sleep. I'll be back later." He looked at me intensely. "Bella?"

I struggled to open my eyes. "Yeah?" I croaked.

"He's a fool if he honestly believes you don't love him enough to be faithful to him."

I smiled weakly and closed my eyes. "Thanks, Seth."

"You're welcome." He pressed his lips to my hair. "Love you."

"Love you," I whispered, hearing the door open and shut behind Seth before sleep overtook me.


	20. Chapter 20

**As always, thanks for the reviews! I've got a few minutes before we start making Father's Day rounds, so I thought I'd post the next chapter. **

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Chapter 20

**Edward**

I peeled out of the driveway and sped toward the five-star hotel Carlisle and Esme had stayed in when we remodeled the house over the summer in what I would consider a blind rage. I had no recollection of any part of the drive except for my hands violently beating the steering wheel and my random screams of fury while I somehow managed to swerve through traffic.

Before I knew it, the hotel was in sight.

I veered to the right and hit the brakes as I reached the massive portico. I hopped out of the car, slamming the door behind me, and I threw the keys at the valet. I refused to think of the scene that I had just walked in on. I physically _couldn't_ think of the scene I'd just walked in on. I'd lost all feeling other than the hatred and anger that simmered in my veins. I couldn't feel my chest; my heart had been completely drained of emotion.

I was walking on autopilot.

I walked over to the woman behind the front desk. "I need a room," I told her as I pulled out my wallet.

"How many are traveling in your party?" she asked politely.

"Just me."

_Hurry the fuck up..._

She nodded and typed on the computer for a moment. "We have a non- smoking standard room with a king size bed, a two bedroom suite, and the penthouse available. Which would you prefer?"

"I don't give a fuck. Just book one." Her face dropped in shock, and I hurried an apology. "Shit, I'm sorry. Bad day." I smiled half-heartedly. "The penthouse is fine." Maybe booking the best room they had would make up for how rude I was being.

"How many nights will you be staying?"

"I have no idea," I said coldly.

She swallowed visibly and nodded before booking the room. "Here's your key. You'll need to use it in the elevator to have access to the penthouse. Is there anything else I can do for you?" She wouldn't look me in the eye.

"No, thanks." I turned and started to walk to the elevator before I spun back around. "Actually, where's the nearest bar?"

"Down the street on the right."

I went to the room and collapsed on the bed. I tucked my legs into myself and finally let the moment I saw Bella and Seth flash through my mind.

I could see every detail, from the way her hair brushed across her eyebrow to the soft glow her creamy skin had. I could see the amusement in her eyes as she looked at Seth, how inconceivably _happy_ she looked, and the same enjoyment in his as he leaned over to kiss her, sliding his hands inside her shirt...

My stomach churned with the thought, and I raced to the bathroom to heave over the toilet. I managed to pick myself up and rinse out my mouth before collapsing on the floor.

My body felt like it'd been crushed; my heart was being stabbed with a thousand needles. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to push the feelings away, but it was no use. I laid there and let the pain wash over me as I stared blankly at the floor. I could do nothing else but grieve for the love it seemed I'd lost.

After a while, I slowly got up off the floor and made my way back to the living room. I changed my clothes and grabbed my toothbrush, heading back to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I refused to look at myself in the mirror; I wasn't sure I could stomach the face of the man who'd managed to wreck the most important thing in his life.

I needed a fucking drink.

I went down the street to the bar the woman at the front desk had told me about. I walked in, and it was already busy. I looked at my watch and saw it was just past ten. I spotted an empty stool and sat down.

"What can I get for you?" the bartender asked.

"A couple of shots of JD."

The bartender nodded and poured the shots. I downed them both as soon as he handed them to me.

"Two more."

He poured more whiskey into the shot glasses sitting in front of me. Again, I immediately downed them.

"You want to just leave the bottle?" I gave him a wry smile.

He smiled and shook his head. "All right." He put the bottle in front of me, and I poured myself another shot before I knocked it back.

I could feel the heat start to spread throughout my body. Since I hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, I was already beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol.

But I knew it wouldn't be enough. Nothing could be enough to erase the painful image that had been seared into my brain.

I continued to pour myself shots, losing count after the eleventh. I couldn't remember if I stopped at eleven or kept going--a sure sign I was drunk. I knew I would pay for it in the morning--I'd never been much of a drinker-- but at this point, I didn't care.

I sat in my alcohol induced haze, rolling one of the shot glasses between my hands. Everything took on a wonderful spinning quality and my emotions went fuzzy, like they were cushioned from reality and felt less intense. The oddly entertaining motions I'd been doing with my hands abruptly stopped when I dropped the shot glass and heard it shatter on the wooden floor beneath my feet.

_Just like my relationship_, I thought drunkenly. If I'd have been sober, I would have laughed at myself for that utterly stupid remark.

I walked into my house expecting to be able to hold Bella in my arms and revel in the electricity that sparked between us. I wanted to experience all of those idyllic scenarios I'd spent the last twenty-four hours conjuring up.

Nothing could have prepared me for the shock I felt when I walked into the living room. I watched them for a split second before I spoke up; I couldn't bear to see what was about to happen.

My eyes burned with tears, and I couldn't help but emit a quiet sob as realized how horribly stupid I was for ever leaving her.

_I fucked it up._

I left her; I caused this. The guilt I felt was agonizing. If I would have just told Carlisle "no", none of this would be happening. It would be me in there with Bella, living out that blissful scene with her, like we'd done so many times before.

I suddenly needed to know everything. I needed to know when it happened, how it happened, and _why_ it happened.

Seth Clearwater was supposed to be a friend. I'd always assumed that his relationship with Bella was that of a brotherly relationship. Obviously, I couldn't have been more wrong.

I wondered if he'd made a move on Bella as soon as I left and how she responded. Was she hesitant? Or willing?

Her news...

I immediately disregarded that thought. She said it was big, not bad. She didn't sound like a woman who was about to tell her fiancé that she'd cheated on him while he was away. So logically, it had to have happened after Valentine's Day.

This was excruciating. My life was going to be completely different now. Everything I'd been living for was gone. I wasn't sure I could even stay in Seattle anymore. It felt like the entire reason I'd fallen in love with Seattle to begin with was because something was leading me to Bella. Moving back to Chicago was probably for the best. I could start again and try to forget my life here. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving Bella, but I supposed it was a moot point now. I didn't know how, but I was going to have to figure out how to talk to Bella without breaking down. I would need her out of my house regardless of whether I stayed or went.

I hung my head in my hands. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. It seemed so surreal. Just a few hours ago I was looking forward to coming home to my fiancée and planning the rest of my life with her. Where I used to picture a wedding and an eventual family, there was now... Nothing.

Someone lightly tapped on my shoulder to get my attention. Surprised, I turned around to see Tanya smiling at me.

_Shit._

I'd come here wanting to wallow in my sorrows with total strangers. It would be my luck to run into someone I knew.

"Edward! I thought that was you!" She seemed so excited. "What are you doing back?"

"Uh," I ran my hand through my hair. I could hardly think, I was so drunk. "I came back early." My voice had a slight slur to it.

She looked at the nearly empty bottle on the bar in front of me. "Are you drunk?" she asked in shock.

I gave her what I hoped was a grin and not a grimace. I couldn't really feel my face. "A little."

She smiled brightly at me. "Where's your fiancée?"

Her words felt like a knife piercing through my skin. I sent the pain into the pits below where I couldn't feel it anymore.

"Home," I replied shortly.

"Oh." She looked around. "Mind if I sit down?"

I shook my head as an answer.

She sat down on the stool next to me and ordered a gin and tonic. "You actually like those?"

"They do the trick," she said, still smiling. "So when are you coming back to the hospital?"

"Um, I just got back today. I haven't had a chance to call them and let them know I'm back." I wasn't sure I was actually going back. Right now, Chicago sounded fucking fantastic. "Maybe next week?"

She nodded her head in understanding. "We all miss you there, Edward."

I blinked. "You do?"

"Yes." She ran her finger down my arm with a sexy pout. "Especially me."

I felt my eyes go wide with her directness. It was completely different from how she acted at the hospital. She was always so polite, so... coy. There was no misreading her intent tonight.

"Really?" I was baffled by her sudden change in behavior.

"Are you kidding me? How could you not have noticed?" she asked, laughing.

"I don't know," I muttered.

_Bella was right._

I looked at her intensely for a few moments. She was no Bella, but she was pretty enough. She had a beautiful body, bright blue eyes--that were presently staring right back at me--and wild, curly, strawberry blond hair that was pulled into a ponytail. I quickly realized that I hadn't had sex in almost four months. I needed it--craved it. I longed for the distraction of a woman's hot body and the orgasmic slumber that awaited me afterward. A one night stand was never my ideal, but I wasn't above getting some kind of a release with a willing woman.

At least, not anymore.

"Want to get out of here?" I asked her.

She smirked, like it was exactly what she'd expected from me. "Where to?"

"I've got a room booked at the hotel down the street." I paid for the drinks and stood up.

She cocked her eyebrow at my admission to the room but said nothing as we walked out of the bar.

We walked halfway down the block before she asked me about Bella. "So why are you staying in a hotel instead of spending the night with your fiancée?"

_Fuck._ I did not want to talk about this. "Long story. Don't want to talk about it," I answered tersely.

"Oh, come on," she pleaded.

"No," I said forcefully.

"All right." She wrapped her arms around mine and snuggled up against me.

I glanced down at her, unsure if I liked the contact with her or not. It felt... off. There was really no other way to describe it.

"Your fiancée's really pretty," she said conversationally.

"Thanks." I cleared my throat. "I think so."

Bella was the most beautiful woman I'd ever known--inside as well as out. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to get over her.

_But do you really want to?_

I took full responsibility for the situation I was in. I'd already decided that if I hadn't left her for so long, this would have never happened. I wouldn't be walking with Tanya back to my hotel room. But I wasn't sure if I could forgive her, even if I tried. Betrayal was a deep wound to recover from.

"Do you know how long I've wanted this to happen?" Tanya asked seductively, breaking up my thoughts.

"No." I was feeling a very uncomfortable now. Something wasn't right.

"Since the day you started working at the hospital." She giggled. "God, the other girls are going to be so jealous!"

I stiffened at the comment but let it slide. We got back to the hotel and went directly to the elevator. I slid my key in the slot and pressed the button.

"Oh, my God! The penthouse!" she exclaimed.

"Yep." I really didn't see the big deal. It was just another room. A much larger room, but still, just a room.

We were halfway up to the penthouse when Tanya wrapped her arms around my neck and shoved me against the wall. My back hit the wall hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs. Stunned, I pushed back against her, only to feel her lips connecting with mine. She kissed me fiercely--and a little sloppily, if I was being honest. Her tongue forced its way into my mouth, touching mine before I was ready for it.

It was so completely, horribly, and just fucking wrong.

I knew then that I would _never_ love anyone else but Bella. I wasn't sure how long it would take, but I wanted us to be the way we were again before we left. It didn't matter what happened while I was away. I could forgive her if it meant being with her for the rest of my life.

Alice's words came pouring back in a rush. _"Look, I don't know how to say this, but I just get the feeling you're going to fuck it up._"

Shit, she was right; I was fucking it up beyond repair. I hadn't even stopped to think what other possibilities could be the cause of Seth and Bella's interaction. I hadn't given enough pause for either of them to explain anything to me. I'd simply assumed the worst and left before I could have any kind of confirmation, protecting my heart from the mind-splitting pain that was bound to come.

Abruptly, I twisted away from Tanya. "I can't do this."

"What?" she asked angrily.

"I can't do this." I repeated.

I couldn't risk everything I had with Bella over the mere possibility that she had cheated on me. I needed to _know_ for certain.

The elevator door opened, and I held it back with my hand.

I looked at Tanya seriously. "I'm sorry."

She just glared at me.

"I'm not a one night stand kind of guy. Maybe I thought I could be, but I can't." I took a deep, painful breath. "And I'm engaged. I'm here because I'm a fucking idiot. I'm fairly certain I booked this room under a misapprehension. I love Bella. I can't do this to her. If I let this get any farther between us I could ruin the best thing in my life. I just... I can't do it."

I walked out of the elevator before turning back to Tanya. "Again, I'm sorry."

"Fine." She didn't even look at me.

The elevator doors closed, and I turned toward the door to the penthouse. I saw a figure slumped on the ground and stopped in my tracks as soon as I recognized who it was. 

"How did you find me?" I asked sharply.

Seth looked up from the floor. "I called every hotel in the city."

_Of course. _ "What are you doing here?"

"You and I need to talk. Who was that?"

"A girl from work. I was going to sleep with her, but I couldn't do it," I told him honestly.

"You were going to cheat on Bella?!" he shouted in shock.

"Well, I thought about it." I saw the expression on his face and hurried on. "Look, I'm not proud of it. I figured at first it wouldn't matter since Bella did it to me. But I just couldn't do it; I couldn't do it to Bella." It was beginning to feel like my mantra for the night. "I don't want to get into it right now," I sighed. "I'm really tired. Can we do this tomorrow?"

Seth stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "No, I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I can turn around and get security."

"Go ahead. I'll just keep coming back until you talk to me."

I could see the determination on his face. "What the hell do you want to talk to me about?"

"It wasn't what you think it was."

I eyed him doubtfully, even though I felt like I already in some way believed him. "It looked like you were getting ready to fuck my fiancée. You're telling me that's not what you were doing?"

"No, it's not." He was calm.

"Fine. Then what the fuck was it?" I spat it out like a bad taste in my mouth.

He shook his head and looked down. "I can't tell you. I told Bella I wouldn't."

"Oh, that's just great, Seth. Let's just be vague, shall we?"

His head snapped up, and his black eyes narrowed. "Dude. I never touched her like that. She's like a sister to me. Do you have any idea how hard it's been for her?"

That took me back. The guilt I felt for all the things I'd done to hurt her in the last few months came over me like an unbearable tsunami. "It was hard for her?" My voice shook a little.

"You have no idea. She's broken. She says it hurts to breathe; that there's this constant pain in her chest. She doesn't even sleep in your bedroom anymore! She doesn't even so much as glance at your piano! And do you know why? Because she can't! Anything and everything that reminds her of you causes her pain!"

I cringed. I knew exactly the kind of pain he was describing.

"She loves you, Edward. Do you have any idea the hell she went through when she realized you thought we were... That we were fucking?! It took me two hours to calm her down! She could have lost th-" He took a deep breath. " I want to know why you would ever think Bella would cheat on you. How you could think either of us would do that to you."

I stood there and met Seth's glower steadily. I felt the hole in my chest flare, blazing to the point that it brought tears to my eyes. I thought of all the doubts that had filled my mind, and I knew he was telling the truth. I was just too fucking stupid to stop and think about it before I left.

I collapsed on the floor and buried my face in my hands. "What have I done?" I whispered.

Seth quietly walked over and sat by me. "You believe me?"

"Yes. I've been thinking about it all night. I couldn't seem to believe that you were..." I couldn't finish my sentence.

He sighed heavily. "It'll be all right."

I looked at him through the blur of my unshed tears. "How? I didn't even give her a chance to explain anything. She's going to be furious that I thought for even one second that she was capable of cheating on me."

"Well, she's not mad." I scoffed. "Yet," he allowed.

"Seth, I'm sorry. I know you would never do that to someone. You just don't have it in you."

"It's okay. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. It didn't look good." He eyed me warily. "Dude, are you drunk?"

I laughed bleakly. I'm sure I had whiskey leaking from my pores, making me smell terrible.

"Not anymore." I looked at my watch, it was three am. I had the sudden urge to go home to fix this mess I'd created. "I need to go home."

"Now?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah. Now."

"Good."

I got up and went into the room and turned on the TV, flipping the channels until I found the self check-out menu. I checked out and called down to valet before I grabbed my bag and headed out the door. Seth followed me into the elevator.

"So you're not going to tell me what it was you were doing, are you?"

"Nope."

My forehead creased in frustration. "Why? What could you possibly be hiding?"

"Can't tell you." He grinned. "But you'll love it, man."

I glared at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Uh-uh. I'm not saying anything. Just... You'll know as soon as you see her."

"What the fuck, Seth?" He started laughing at my expression. "Could you be any more cryptic?"

"Yeah, I think I could. Trust me. This hint should make it obvious."

"Damn it! Do you have any idea how much thought I have given this since February?"

"You've been thinking about it since February?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah. After I talked to Bella in Brazil. She said she had something big to tell me, but the fucking phone cut out before she could tell me what it was. I have been racking my brain since."

He laughed. "Damn. And you're supposed to be this smart-ass doctor. How in the hell haven't you figured this out yet?"

I shook my head. "I have no idea. It's obvious?"

"Oh, yeah."

I could feel the scowl on my face as we left the elevators. "Seth?"

"Yeah?" We were almost out the door.

"How come you were at the house in the first place? I thought you and Bella hadn't talked much since Jacob died."

"Well, on Valentine's Day when I gave her your present I decided to ask her to grab a bite to eat and catch up. She seemed so much different since she'd met you. Like she was finally allowing herself to be happy." He looked at his feet and fidgeted nervously with his jacket.

"I'll just be honest. I missed her. She avoided anything that had to do with La Push like it was the plague, and I always had so much fun hanging out with her and Jacob. I wanted to see if we still had it. We do. She and I have hung out a lot since then. She's become something more than a friend to me. She's like family." He looked back up at me. "I hope you don't mind."

I felt a small smile pull up my lips. "No. I suppose I should thank you for being there for her when I wasn't. So thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll see you later. Tell Bella I'll call her in a few days."

I stopped before getting into the rental car. "Why so long?"

"I want to give you two.... some privacy." He smirked.

I laughed and shook my head as I got in the car. I sped all the way home, not slowing down until I pulled into the driveway. The drive home was much more serene than it was when I left. I was hopeful that I could mend the damage I'd created in such a short amount of time.

I quietly unlocked the door and snuck inside. The house was dark, except for a faint light coming from the living room. I walked in to see Bella fast asleep on the couch, wrapped up like a burrito in a blanket.

I felt myself smile as I gently pushed a lock of her mahogany hair away from her face. She was even more beautiful than I'd envisioned all those times over the last four months. Her hair was shinier and her smooth, creamy skin glowed in the soft light of the lamp.

Her eyebrows knit and she muttered something incoherent before she spoke clearly.

"Edward, please don't go. I love you," she whimpered.

I clenched my jaw, trying to control the guilt I felt for doing this to her. I didn't know how, but I would spend the rest of my life making it up to her. I would prove to her how much she meant to me--if it was the last thing I did.

I would never leave her side again. To leave her now would be physically impossible. Esme was right. She was my own personal sun, and I was the lone planet that circled around her, trapped by that wonderful pull.

She shifted a little and sighed, her mouth turning up into a slight smile. "Baby," she whispered.

I was a little puzzled by her mumblings, but I shrugged it off. She didn't do it near as often as I'd like, but she occasionally called me "baby".

I gazed down at her again and studied her face, memorizing every inch of it. Her face looked softer than I'd remembered. I leaned down and kissed her hair gently, breathing in her wonderful, sweet scent.

The gaping hole in my chest felt whole--perfect. I took a deep breath felt my heart beat with joy. I took a few steps and sat on the chair, watching Bella as she slept, waiting for her to wake up so that I could hold her in my arms and tell her how sorry I was. To tell her how much I loved her.

I was home.


	21. Chapter 21

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Reunions are sweet....this chapter has a lemon for those of you at work ;)

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Chapter 21

**Bella**

I woke up stiff from sleeping on the couch and idly wondered what time it was. I let my eyes rest on the clock and saw that I'd been sleeping for fourteen hours. I must have exhausted myself with that ridiculous breakdown yesterday. I hadn't slept this long in a while. I seemed to have gotten past that hump a few weeks ago and didn't need to sleep constantly anymore.

I blinked, trying to wake up, when suddenly the images from yesterday came flooding back. I whimpered with the pain it shot through me.

Edward thought I'd cheated on him.

I laid there, unable to move, as I struggled to get the pain under control. My mind was still futilely trying to make sense of everything.

Yes, the way Seth and I were sitting looked bad. I'll be the first to admit that. To someone on the outside, the comfortable way we were together and the way his hands were inside my sweatshirt was the most damning of evidence. But this was Edward. How could he have ever thought for one minute that I would do something like that to him? That I would destroy everything we've built together? And how could he just turn around and leave, not giving me any chance to talk to him?

I spent months wishing he was here and that he was back home with me. I'd spent weeks learning to cope without him and bury my pain down to where no one could see how pitiful I truly was. He had no idea how inconceivably hard it was for me to live here--in this house--without him. To go through my daily life like I hadn't lost some vital piece of myself.

When that wish finally came true, I was only able to see him for a moment before he turned and left me again, sobbing hysterically in a crumpled heap on the floor.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. He should _know_ that I would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship. He should _trust_ me; I'd never given him a reason not to. Worse though, he should have had enough sense and reasoning to talk to me instead of bolting out the door like he was on fire.

Even while he was gone--thousands of miles away--he was my life, my world. He still was, regardless of how stupid he was being.

The pain the entire situation brought me seemed to try to annihilate my chest in one bone-crushing strike. It was so much worse, knowing Edward was in Seattle but not with me, than it ever was to know he was thousands of miles away and doing something good with his time. I laid there struggling to breathe, to control it, knowing instinctively that I needed to calm down. All this stress had to be bad for the baby. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her in any way. It wasn't her fault her parents were acting like a couple of idiots right now.

After a few moments I realized it was not going to die down to its usual dull ache and resigned myself to starting the whole "healing" process again. It was such a load of crap. I was never going to heal without Edward by my side. I'd kill to have him here so I could reach out and slap some sense into him. It might make me feel a little better, though I seriously doubted it. A good tongue lashing might do the trick, though. I 'd love to see his startled reaction when I told him how much of a selfish, immature prick I thought he was being to the mother of his child.

Yeah, that'd get his attention all right.

I sat up and rubbed my face with my hands, desperately hoping that a shower would help remedy the massive ache I was now feeling. I stood up and stretched, trying to work the kinks out of my body when I heard a quiet, familiar gasp.

I whipped my head around to see Edward sitting in the chair. His eyes were wide with shock as they stared at me--more specifically at my stomach. Any anger I had toward him melted as soon as I saw his glorious face; I could never stay mad at him. It was a blessing as much as it was a curse.

I wrapped my arms around myself, blushing furiously. I hadn't really planned this moment, but I knew this was definitely not how I wanted him to find out.

His voice came out weak, almost inaudible. "Bella, you... You're..." He couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence or thought. "How could I not have known?"

Tears pricked my eyes, and my head swam. Tiny black dots danced in my vision, and my knees buckled. I grabbed the edge of the couch and sat down before I collapsed. Apparently my brain had had just about all it could stand.

Edward was here_._ He looked a little worse for wear, but he was here. With me. His mere presence was like a soothing balm on my wounded heart.

But what did it mean?

"What are you doing here?" I asked breathlessly. "You didn't seem to want anything to do with me yesterday."

"I live here, remember?" He gave me a sad smile, clearly knowing his joke fell flat. "I wanted to talk to you." He stared at me meaningfully. "We obviously have a lot to talk about."

I shifted and looked at the floor. "Yeah."

He came over and grabbed my chin with his hand, gently forcing it up so that he could look at me. The fire that raced through my veins with his touch caused the ache in my chest to flare up. I wasn't sure if I could live through this--whatever this was.

"Please don't look away from me. I've lived for too long without being able to look into those beautiful eyes of yours." I felt my eyes well up with tears again as my eyes met his. I was such a hormonal mess. "I need to apologize to you."

The tears spilled over, dripping down my face. "Seth found you?"

He nodded. "But I was coming back anyway. I shouldn't have left like that. After my initial reaction, I realized I didn't think you could do anything to hurt me. And if you did, it didn't matter."

"So... You don't think I cheated on you?" My voice shook with the tears I cried.

I knew I should be furious with him, but I couldn't find the strength to. Any of the anger I'd felt earlier seemed to have evaporated into thin air. The joy I felt at just being able to look at his beautiful face--to hear his musical voice--overpowered anything else.

He took a deep breath. "No. Bella, I had so many hopes and expectations of how it would be when I came in and surprised you. I never expected to see you sitting on the couch with Seth. You have to understand, it looked like his hands were in your shirt and he was getting ready to kiss you. I didn't even give myself a chance to think before I left. I simply ran.

"All night, I thought about it. Over and over. I couldn't seem to convince myself you would do that to me. And then Seth found me at the hotel I was staying in and I knew that you two weren't together in any way except as friends." He paused. "Bella, I owe Seth so much for being here for you while I was gone. I could spend my whole life trying to repay him, but it would never be enough."

"Edward, what do you mean if I did, it doesn't matter?" My voice trembled. I couldn't get my hopes up yet. We still hadn't talked about the baby. I wasn't sure how he'd react to becoming a father so soon after we met.

"Just that it would have been my fault." I opened my mouth to protest but he lifted his hand and continued. "I left you here. I hurt you. I should have never gone. It was the biggest mistake of my life." His voice broke on the last part.

"I don't understand."

He chuckled bleakly. "Isabella, I love you so much. The entire time I was gone, I felt like someone had ripped a hole in my chest and taken my heart. I could barely cope without you. I didn't eat, didn't sleep. I felt dead inside. I went through the motions while I was away, trying to hide the pain I felt from everyone until I was alone, although I realize now they all knew how much I missed you. When I wasn't working, I let the misery take me. Bella, you are my sun. My life revolves around you. By leaving you, I was trying to do the impossible; I was trying to defy gravity. It was only a matter of time before you pulled me back in."

He leaned over and gently kissed me. His sweet smell washed over me, and I felt my lips part with his, letting his tongue trace over mine. My heart beat furiously, pounding loudly in my chest. He pulled back and smiled as I struggled to catch my breath. My heart had taken up so much space I felt lightheaded, dizzy. I took a deep breath, waiting for the ache to flare. There was nothing. I was wonderful, complete--whole. It was like he'd never left.

"Edward, I love you. I've missed you so much." My voice caught in my throat. "The entire time you were gone I lived with this constant pain. I didn't come back to the house for almost a month; I couldn't bear to be reminded of you. I was empty, missing so much of myself I could barely function or breathe. I could hardly be alone. I needed to constantly be with someone else so that I was distracted from the pain." I stopped when I saw guilt flash through his emerald eyes. "I'm sorry." It was pointless to dwell on how much his trip hurt us both.

"No, it's okay." He took a deep breath. "You cannot imagine the guilt I feel. I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you. I will never leave you again."

"I know," I breathed, resting my forehead on his as he cupped my face in his hands. "But there's nothing to be guilty about."

"That's what you say now," he muttered. "Bella, there's something I have to tell you."

I stiffened with his tone. He seemed wary, afraid. "Okay," I said slowly.

"Last night." He broke off, taking a deep breath. "Last night after I left here, I went to a bar and got drunk."

"And?" I didn't understand the problem.

"I ran into Tanya." I waited, terrified of what was coming next. "I started to take her back to the room I was going to stay in. In the elevator, she kissed me. Bella, I didn't kiss her back, I swear. I'm so sorry."

"Were you going to sleep with her?" My throat had constricted with my fear.

"Yes. But I couldn't do it," he hurried. "I realized then that I didn't care if you slept with Seth or not. I knew I could never be with anyone else but you."

"So you were going to sleep with her because you thought I'd cheated on you with Seth."

"Yes. I was angry, and I was hurt. I suppose I wanted revenge. It was a stupid, drunk mistake, Bella. Please tell me I didn't ruin my relationship with you," he begged. It was strange thing to see. He was always so confident, so strong. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"_She_ kissed_ you_?" I asked stoically. I needed this to be perfectly clear.

"Yes. I ran into Seth in the hall outside my room. I'm pretty sure he heard me tell Tanya I couldn't do that to you. I promise you, nothing happened."

I sat there, watching his anxious expression closely. I knew he wasn't lying to me, but I had a hard time understanding how he could just turn away from something supposedly so important to him without a second thought. If he'd have gone through with it, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to forgive him. That thin line of trust we were carefully treading across would have been severed forever.

In the end, the decision was surprisingly easy. I needed Edward like I needed air to breathe. I knew he would never do anything to purposely hurt me, so there was no doubt that something like this would never happen again. I'd never once, in the many years that I had left to walk this earth, have to worry that he was cheating on me.

I nodded my head. "I believe you." His eyes locked on mine. "But if you ever do anything like that again, so help me I'll kill you." My voice was hard.

"I'm sorry," he said again, kissing me hard--gratefully.

I gave him a tight smile. "You could have destroyed_ everything_ last night."

"I know, don't remind me. I was an idiot. I will never do anything like that again. Like I said, I have a lot to make up to you. I will spend the rest of my life trying." He looked at me seriously. "How are you feeling?"

I wasn't sure if he was being a good doctor or just being a concerned fiancé. "I'm all right."

He nodded. "Bella, what exactly were you and Seth doing when I came home?" he asked hesitantly.

"He was trying to feel the..." I trailed off.

I was too frightened of his reaction to say the word. He obviously knew I was pregnant, but I had yet to acknowledge it out loud. It was stupid, but I wanted that romantic vision of surprising him with the news. Now, it merely felt awkward and forced.

"Baby?" he prompted.

I looked into his eyes and saw them swimming with so much love and acceptance, it took my breath away. He was honestly the most amazing human being I'd ever known.

I nodded my head, too choked up to be able to speak. Maybe all of my fears had been for nothing, and Edward was just as excited about impending parenthood as I was, regardless of how unplanned it happened to be.

He slowly inched down my body and lifted my shirt up, resting his hands on the small bump of my stomach. He pressed his lips to it and smiled.

"I'm so sorry I missed part of this." I could hear the tears in his voice.

"Edward..." I couldn't say anything. I was almost sobbing from the joy and relief I felt with this obscenely perfect moment.

To my utter shock, the baby began to furiously kick Edward's hands. His head snapped up, his eyes bright with emotion. He broke out into a exuberant, wide smile.

"Bella!" he breathed.

I ran my thumb across his cheek, wiping the single tear that fell. "She doesn't want her daddy to cry," I said, my voice thick with my own tears.

"A girl?" he asked softly.

"I think so," I said, smiling.

"You haven't found out yet?" he asked.

"No, I have an ultrasound on Thursday."

He looked back down at my stomach, rubbing his thumb across it soothingly. "Hey, little girl," he cooed. "I love you." He was responded by a swift kick in the palm of his hand.

He moved back up to my face and kissed the end of my nose. "Thank you," he said fervently.

"For what?"

"For this. For you. For us. You could have..."

I was appalled. I'd never once considered not having her. "Never."

He brought his mouth to mine, kissing me almost sweetly at first. Our kiss deepened, and he moved his hands to the small of my back, closing the space between us. My hands snuck their way into his hair, desperate to feel it against my fingertips. The need I had for him was excruciating--it was pulsing from my core throughout my entire body.

Without breaking the kiss, he pulled me into his arms and took me to our bed, laying me down gently. We quickly undressed each other, both longing to feel that curious burn that ignited when our skin made contact. He ran his hands all over my body, caressing each part of my skin softly, lingering on my stomach. I felt chills go down my spine as he ran his gaze over me.

"You are so beautiful, Bella." His fingertips traced patterns on my thigh. "I've missed you so much. I've dreamed of making love to you again almost every night for the last four months."

He brought his mouth to my breast, nipping and sucking my nipple as his hand massaged it gently.

I bit my lip and moaned. The feelings that warred with the sensations he sent through me were almost overwhelming. "Oh, God."

His other hand made its way down my body so that his long fingers could move inside me. My body had missed him so much, that I came almost immediately.

He crushed his mouth to mine, smothering the cry that came out of my throat as the intense waves over me.

He moved his body in between my legs and pushed himself into me. The connection we had was indescribable.

"Bella," he breathed against my mouth. "You feel so good."

He continued to kiss me as he drove himself rhythmically into me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and shifted my body so that he could thrust further into me, causing me to groan. His hands moved up my body and trailed up my arms, stopping when he reached my hands. His fingers intertwined with mine, holding on tightly.

He broke away from the kiss and pulled his face from mine. "Bella, look at me."

I opened my eyes and looked into his. My heart fluttered in my chest, and I felt my walls tighten around him.

"I'm going to come," I said, practically moaning.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I love you." Edward grunted.

My orgasm shot through me as Edward cried out, releasing himself into me.

"I love you, too."

* * *

**Edward**

We laid in bed together, unable to take our eyes off each other and constantly touching and kissing, as if we were afraid we would wake from a dream.

After months of living in constant agony, the relief I felt as I held Bella in my arms was overwhelming. I was home, she was safe with me, and we were having a baby.

_A baby._

The love that surged through me with just the thought was impossible to comprehend. How could I love something so completely in such a small amount of time? I'd only known since I'd first seen Bella a few hours ago.

But Seth was right. It was obvious. Bella wasn't showing much at all; anyone who didn't know her wouldn't assume right away she was pregnant. But I knew Bella's body like my own. I'd memorized every curve, every scar and every freckle. I absently ran my hand across the small bump in between her hipbones before resting it on the bed.

She was even more beautiful to me now than she'd ever been. Her hair was fuller, shiner. Her beautiful, creamy skin was even more incredible; it was radiant. Her body was curvier. _Juicy._ It was the only way I could describe it.

She was carrying my child. We had created something amazing before I left.

_God, I feel like such a cornball._

I'd never really given much thought to being a father. For so long, I wasn't sure it was something I wanted. My work was my life... until I met Bella. The moment I realized I was in love with her, my priorities changed. I wanted to marry her and have children with her. It was still unfathomable to me that she felt the same way as I did. I must have done something great in a past life to deserve this, but I still didn't feel worthy with all of the pain I'd managed to cause her in the last few months.

How could I ever make it up to her? I still didn't have the answer, but I knew I would die trying. I'd never give her any reason to doubt my love for her again. I'd never do something as stupid as I had done yesterday. I would do everything in my power to keep her happy.

Now that I was engaged and having a baby, it seemed absurd to think I had never wanted this before. I wondered idly when it happened. We were always so careful... Weren't we? I tried to think back, remembering the boxes of condoms we seemed to be buying weekly. I couldn't remember not ever using one. Did one break? I realized I didn't even know how far along she was. She was scheduled to have an ultrasound on Thursday.

My brain quickly morphed into doctor mode. It took me a while to recall everything I'd learned in med school and during my residency. Usually an ultrasound was performed approximately half way into a pregnancy. I did a quick calculation in my head that stopped me short. It would have been just before I left.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" She snuggled deeper into the crook of my arm; I smiled.

I moved my other hand and rested it on her stomach. "How exactly did this happen?"

She seemed confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was just wondering how you could be pregnant since we were careful." My thumb rubbed circles on that beautiful bump.

"Think about it Edward." She shifted in my arms and looked at me.

I met her gaze. "What?"

"Think about it. Was there ever a time that we didn't use a condom?" I saw the amusement in her eyes. Apparently, she knew the answer.

My eyes never left hers as I tried to figure it out. I thought of the few weeks before I left and disregarded every time. Each and every time, I'd used a condom. And I couldn't remember any of them breaking.

So when was it? I thought about the perfect weekend we spent in bed. Still, I distinctly remembered using a condom every time... because I hated that I still had to use them. It was frustrating to stop and put one on each and every time. Bella wasn't scheduled to see her doctor until the end of December. Condoms weren't the best way to prevent a pregnancy, but they had to do until then. And they'd always worked for me in the past.

Suddenly, I remembered the tearful scene in the shower the morning I left. I was completely overcome with emotion just knowing that it would be the last time I would be with Bella before I met up with Carlisle and Esme.

_Shit!_

"In the shower. The morning I left."

"Yep." She laid her head back on my chest.

I was stunned. How could it have only taken us one time? Rose and Emmett had been trying for months and still nothing.... Although, I quickly realized I couldn't say for certain anymore. For all my brother knew, I was still in the jungle with our parents.

"It only took us one time?"

"It would seem so." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Wow," I said, still stunned.

"Rose thinks you have super sperm," she giggled.

"Super sperm, right," I muttered sarcastically. "Emmett and Rose know?"

"Yeah."

"Are they...?" I trailed off. I wasn't sure why.

She knew what I was asking. "No. Not yet."

I could only imagine how Rosalie reacted to Bella's news. "How did Rose take it?"

"She was pretty pissed at first. But the next morning she apologized. I'm still not sure if she meant it or not. You know how Rose is, she has a tendency to overreact. And she seems okay with it now. But I'm not sure if I would use the term _happy_ just yet." She sighed.

My brows knit in frustration. Bella had had to tell everyone about the baby herself. "What about everyone else?"

"Jazz is fairly happy. He's using the term 'uncle' to describe himself. Alice is ridiculously excited. She's dying for me to let her shop for the baby." I chuckled at the typical Alice behavior.

"You haven't bought anything yet?" It wasn't really surprising given Bella's aversion of shopping, but I was surprised Alice hadn't convinced her to go with her at least once.

"No. I've been waiting for you," she said quietly.

My heart immediately felt ten pounds heavier with guilt. I cleared my throat. "What about everyone else?"

"Emmett's excited. He calls almost every day and asks how his niece is doing. Renee's... okay with it. She was mostly worried about how you would feel being thrown in to an unplanned pregnancy when you got home." I could imagine the blush spreading across her cheeks. "Charlie was pretty upset at first, ranting and raving about how I got myself 'in this position'. But he's coming around. He calls every day and checks on me, asks how I'm feeling, if everything's all right with the baby."

Now the guilt was so heavy, I felt like I had an anvil on my chest. "I'm sorry you had to do that alone."

"I know you are, baby," she said softly.

I needed to change the subject. "So you've been hanging out with Seth a lot lately." It wasn't a question, more like a statement since I already knew the answer.

"Yeah. Edward, he's been so great. I don't know how to describe it. I always had fun with him when we hung out in high school, but lately he's been like family. Like a goofy younger brother."

"You've avoided everything that reminded you of Jacob. Can I ask what changed?" She seemed to have slowly stopped avoiding all things that reminded her of him before I left, but she still seemed a bit uncomfortable around Seth.

"You."

I cocked my eyebrow. "What?"

"I stopped avoiding things that reminded me of Jacob when I fell in love with you," she clarified.

"Oh." My genius response.

I could feel her smile against my chest. "It was mostly awkward for Seth and I before you left because he wasn't sure if I wanted to be around him or not."

"Makes sense."

"When are you going to go back to work?" I could hear the curiosity in her voice, and I imagined that she didn't want me to go back until absolutely necessary. Not that I had a problem with that, I didn't want to leave her anytime soon.

"I don't know. Maybe in a couple of weeks. If I go back."

"What are you talking about, 'If I go back'?" She pulled herself up and looked at me, her brown eyes probing.

I didn't understand until that moment that I didn't want to spend all my time at the hospital like I did before. I didn't want to be on call practically every holiday, never knowing if I would have to interrupt my time with my family to go run to the hospital for an emergency. I wanted to be able to have normal work hours, normal work days--not working twelve hours at a time and pulling double shifts, being gone for days at a time while I slept in the on call room. I wanted to be here for Bella, for our daughter.

"I can't go back to the way it was before. Not now. I don't want to be gone all the time. Working odd hours, pulling double shifts. I love what I do. But I love you two more. I want to be able to see our daughter grow up. My priorities have changed slightly." I grinned crookedly at her.

"Edward Cullen, you will not give up what you love for me." So she was going to argue with me.

I chuckled. "I'm not giving it up. I just need to find balance. I'll have to talk to the hospital, see if I can cut back my hours, work only during the day." I looked at her seriously. "I will not miss anything else."

She knew me well enough to know there was no changing my mind. She sighed and laid back down. We stayed like that for a few minutes before she broke the silence.

"Edward?" I could hear her voice tremble.

"What is it, love?"

"Are you really okay with this?" She seemed afraid.

My forehead creased. "With having a baby?"

"Yeah."

I pulled her up so that she was facing me and looked directly into her eyes so that I could convey my sincerity. "Bella, I have never felt more joy in my life than I do right now. I'm with you, holding you in my arms, wondering how I could ever be so lucky. Having a baby with you just makes it even more impossibly perfect. I love her. With everything I have, everything I am, Just as I love you. I cannot wait to meet her and see her beautiful face. You've made me happier than I ever thought possible. Thank you."

Her eyes filled with tears as I leaned down to kiss her, feeling more love in my heart than I'd ever known possible. I shifted our bodies so that I was hovering over her, fully prepared to show her how much I loved and needed her--I could never get enough of the feel of her body wrapping itself around me. I heard her stomach growl and abruptly pulled away.

"You need to eat." I got out of the bed and threw on a pair of sweatpants before she could protest. "What do you want?"

She pursed her lips, clearly not happy with the situation. "I can get it."

"I don't think so," I said laughing. "I'm here now, you're just going to have to get used to being waited on."

"I've managed for almost four months just fine without you." She was clearly annoyed. _Too bad._

"And that's four months too long." I pointed to her stomach. "You're carrying my child, Bella. You're doing all the work. Making you something to eat is the least I can do."

"Edward, you don't have to wait on me." She sighed in exasperation. "You're here. That's more than enough."

_No it's not._ I walked back over to her and cupped her face with my hand. "Bella, you are going to be so sick of me by the time this baby gets here. I am going to make sure you have everything you need at all times. And there's nothing you can do about it." I smiled brightly at her. "So get over it."

I quickly kissed the tip of her nose and turned away. "You should probably get dressed and meet me in the kitchen if there's something specific you want. Otherwise, I'm going to make you whatever _I _feel like eating," I called back to her as I walked out of the bedroom.

I heard the covers rustle behind me and had to smother a laugh. She was pregnant, of course she wanted to choose what we were eating.

I went into the kitchen and opened up the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water while I waited on Bella to come in. I turned around and saw her walking through the doorway in nothing but one of my t-shirts.

"God, you look fantastic," I said, grinning at her. It had to be one of the sexiest things I'd ever seen her wear. "You should wear my clothes more often."

She blushed and grabbed the bottle out of my hand, taking a drink before answering. "I just might. I'm running out of things to wear."

I bent down and kissed her softly. "Just be careful. Otherwise you may wind up stuck in bed with me all day, every day." I leaned into her and ran my nose across her neck. "I love you."

"Mmm, I love you."

I pulled away from her and took her hands in mine. "Now, what do the two of you want to eat."

She bit her lip and looked as if she didn't want to tell me. "I... I don't know..."

"Yes you do. Tell me," I demanded.

"You'll think I'm crazy." Her face flushed.

"Try me."

"Well, I was kind of hoping for a peanut butter and banana sandwich," she said shyly.

I grinned. "That's not crazy."

"With pepperoni on it. And some pickles--I have to eat pickles with everything. And a glass of chocolate milk." She stopped and thought for a moment. "And maybe some crackers with mayonnaise on them." She shook her head. "No, I want some regular chips dipped in ketchup. No, hot sauce."

I stared at her in disbelief. There was no way in hell I was eating all that together. "Do we have all that?"

"We should. Alice and I just went to the store the other day."

"All right. A peanut butter, pepperoni, and banana sandwich with pickles and chips dipped in hot sauce downed with a glass of chocolate milk coming up. Sit down." I was going to have to make myself something else because that was possibly the most disgusting meal I'd ever heard of. "Is there anything else?" I smirked.

"No, I think that's all."

I ran my hand through my hair and got to work. This little girl was going to have me running all over town soon. I looked back at Bella and smiled. It wasn't like it mattered. She already had me wrapped so tightly around her finger, there was nothing I wouldn't do for her.


	22. Chapter 22

**So I got some craving comments for the last chapter...I'll just tell you that with my daughter I only craved peanut butter and chocolate. Together, seperately--it didn't matter. With my son, if I saw something on TV or someone talked about a certain food, I wanted it--right then. That's my inspiration for her cravings. There were many times I had meals like Bella's. It beats craving soap ;P**

* * *

Chapter 22

**Bella**

I stood in the kitchen and anxiously listened to the phone ringing in my ear with Edward at my side. His arrival had been so overly-dramatic, it seemed oddly surreal to do something incredibly mundane with him. We'd spent almost every minute of the last few days in bed reconnecting. We talked, we laughed, we made love. We each wanted to know everything that had happened to the other in the four months we were apart. I was especially curious about the different cultures and sceneries that Edward had been exposed to; he wanted to know every little detail about the pregnancy and the baby.

Edward wanted to surprise Emmett and Rosalie with his return. It was my job to get them here in Seattle without causing any suspicion. We'd devised a plan, deciding that I would simply call and ask them to spend the weekend here with me. They knew my ultrasound was tomorrow, so if it was necessary, I could use the excuse that I wanted to surprise them in person with the news and show them the pictures.

But I didn't think I'd have any problem getting them here. Honestly, since Edward left, I'd pretty much had Emmett wrapped around my finger. He was more than willing to do whatever I wanted or give me whatever I needed since his brother wasn't around to do so. It had something to do with making sure Edward came home to two healthy, happy girls and told me just how much Emmett really loved Edward.

"Bella! What's up?" Emmett's loud voice boomed in my ear.

"Nothing much, Em. How's it going with you guys?" I looked over at Edward and smiled.

"Fantastic . How's my niece?"

I laughed. "She's great. Kicking like crazy. Hey, listen, I was wondering if you and Rosalie had any plans this weekend."

"Nope. None that I know of. Hang on a sec. Rosie! Bella wants to know if we're doing anything this weekend!" I cringed and held the phone away from my ear.

"Ow," I muttered.

"Oops, sorry 'bout that. She said we're free. You want to come visit or something?"

"No." I hesitated. "It's kind of short notice, but I was kind of hoping you two could fly here." I bit my lip, waiting for the answer.

"Yeah! We'll make the flight arrangements tonight. When do you want us?" He seemed excited.

"Um, Friday night?" Edward came over and pulled me into his arms.

"Are you all right? Nothing's wrong, is it?"

He seemed so worried, I had to laugh. "No, I'm fine, Em. I promise."

"Okay," he said slowly. "I gotta go. Rosie says dinner's here. But I'll see you Friday night.

I felt Edward press his lips to my forehead. "See you then."

I shut the phone before he could realize I was hiding something and looked up at Edward. "They'll be here."

"Good, I can't wait to see their faces when they see me." He grinned wickedly.

I honestly couldn't either. Their reactions--especially Emmett's--would be priceless.

"Oh, they'll be surprised all right." I grinned back at him.

He laughed. "Good. So what are you going to do if the baby actually turns out to be a boy?"

"I don't think she is. Why? Would you rather have a boy?"

He shook his head. "No. A girl would be great. But you've told everyone already we're having a girl and you've not even had an ultrasound yet. So I'm just wondering what you're going to tell people if _she_ actually turns out to be a _he_?"

I laughed. "I suppose I'll eat crow. Who knows, maybe the baby would like it."

He laughed at my idiotic joke. "I'll hold you to that."

"You do that." I rearranged my face into the best puppy dog expression I could muster. "Will you call Alice about tomorrow?" I sure didn't want to.

Now that Edward was here, it felt wrong to keep Alice so involved with everything. While I would be forever grateful for her support and friendship over the last few months, she had her own life to live, and even though she would never admit it, I knew I was hindering her work and the free time she had to spend with Jasper. Not only that, but Edward was looking forward to being a part of our daughter's beginning. He'd missed so much already, I knew he wanted to make up for all that lost time. I simply hoped he didn't become a tyrant with his over-bearing tendencies, anxiousness, and worry.

"Oh no. I'm not telling that little pixie she can't go with you tomorrow. That's all you."

"Please? I don't want to be the one to break the news that you and I are going together. Without her." I shuddered dramatically. "She'll kill me!" I was over-doing it, but I didn't care.

His eyes narrowed. "Bella." His voice was stern, but I could tell he was wavering.

"Please?" I pleaded.

He blew out a breath. "Fine. But you owe me." He rolled his eyes. "Call her up," he sighed as he motioned to the phone.

I dialed her number and waited for her to pick up.

"Hey, Bells! How are you today?" She was incredibly chipper.

"I'm fine, and you?" _Jeez._

"Great! I was just telling Jazz I wanted to take you shopping after the ultrasound."

"Uh, I can't." _Crap!_

"How about this weekend then?" I was thankful I had an excuse not to.

Edward started to walk away. I pulled him back and glared at him. Apparently, this was hilarious--he was laughing silently at my expression.

"No, I can't. I wanted to talk to you about this weekend actually. Emmett and Rose are coming in and I wondered if you and Jazz wanted to come and hang out on Saturday."

"Sure!" she said, excitedly. "Is Seth going to be there?"

"Um, I don't know. I haven't heard from Seth in a couple of days." That was very unusual, now that I was thinking about it. "But I'll ask him, too. Hey, Alice? Can you hang on a sec?"

"Sure!"

I handed the phone to Edward. "Here you go," I said smugly.

He glared at me before taking the phone and holding his hand over the mouthpiece. "Seth said he'd call you in a few days," he whispered.

I looked at him in confusion. "Why?" I whispered back.

"He wanted to give us our privacy," he said, just as quietly. He grinned crookedly.

"Oh." Comprehension flickered across my face. "OH!" I giggled.

He smiled at me before holding the phone to his ear. "Ali?" he asked tentatively.

I heard lots of screaming that sounded like "Oh, my God" and "Edward" a few times before it finally died down. Edward had the phone a foot away from his ear, grimacing; I stifled a laugh.

He listened for a moment before answering. "Yeah. For good. Hey, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow."

I could hear her talking extremely fast.

"I couldn't be happier, honestly." He winked at me. I guess she was talking about the baby.

She said something else. He looked startled.

"Are you sure?" He waited, listening. "All right. See you Saturday."

He flipped the phone closed and looked at me. "You should be thanking your lucky stars right about now."

"Why?"

"Are you ready for this?" he asked, clearly shocked. "She _expected_ us to go together. Alone."

My mouth dropped open. I quickly shut it. This was very unlike Alice. She liked to be a part of everything.

"You're kidding!"

He grinned. "Nope. Shocking, isn't it?"

"Very."

He pulled me into his arms and ran his fingers down my arm, sending chills down my spine. "I'm ready for bed, love."

"Why? It's only eight-thirty!" Not even my bedtime yet!

"Exactly," he murmured against my neck.

"Oh," I whispered before letting him lead me into the bedroom. "I think I could go to sleep now," I said with a fake yawn.

He leaned down and kissed me passionately. "I said bed. Not sleep, love," he growled in my ear before he pulled me onto the bed laughing.

It was wonderful to have him home.

* * *

**Edward**

Bella and I sat in the waiting room of her doctor's office waiting for her to be called back. I was studying the medical journal I'd brought with me; it was absolutely fascinating. I knew getting so interested in things like this made me seem inherently geeky, but I loved my job. I loved the constant stream of new information and the way it kept me on my toes. Besides, I'd missed quite a lot in the few months I'd spent abroad. I needed to catch up before I went back to work. You never know when the latest equipment or procedures might save a life when they would have otherwise died.

Bella's bouncing leg caught my eye, and I laughed silently to myself. I shut the journal and turned to her with the intention of distracting her while we waited.

"Who's your doctor again, love?"

She looked over at me. "Dr. Brown."

"Hmm. I don't think I've met her. Do you like her?" I reached over and grabbed her hand.

"You don't know her?" she asked in disbelief.

I was surprised by her response. "No, I don't think so," I said slowly.

"Huh. She knows you."

I raised my eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

"Well, she acted like she knew you personally when I told her you were my fiancé."

I tried to put a face with the name unsuccessfully. "I have no idea who she is," I admitted sheepishly.

"Another one of your admirers?" she asked teasingly.

"Haha. You're a riot, love."

"I know." She smirked.

I leaned over and kissed the top of her head just as her name was called. We stood up, and I put my hand on the small of her back as we walked through the door.

Bella stepped on the scale and bit her lip nervously while the nurse adjusted the numbers. Her eyes bulged out of her head when she read them.

"Five more pounds?" she asked in shock.

I struggled to keep my composure and not laugh. She had a lot more to go.

The nurse made note of Bella's weight and then we were led into the ultrasound room. Bella laid back in the chair, and I sat on the stool next to her. I looked around the room nervously. I could feel my heart speed up, and I took deep breaths trying to slow it, to no avail.

Bella looked over and me and grinned. "You're a wreck, Dr. Cullen."

I ran my hand through my hair and exhaled sharply. "That obvious?"

"Um-hm. You'd think being a doctor you'd be used to this kind of thing." She was enjoying my discomfort.

"Yeah, well, I've always been the one doing the ultrasound." _And it's not usually on babies._ More like internal organs. "Not the other way around."

She held her hand out to me. "It's okay. I'm nervous, too," she whispered, grinning ruefully.

I gave her a small smile back and took her hand.

The ultrasound technician came in and got the machine ready before turning to us and smiling.

"Hello, I'm Amy. I'll be doing your ultrasound today." We both nodded. "I need you to push your jeans down and lift up your shirt," she instructed Bella.

"Okay." Bella adjusted her clothes accordingly.

The tech tucked a paper napkin in Bella's jeans before squirting the gel on her stomach. She placed the transducer on Bella's lower abdomen and began moving it around. I looked up at the screen anxiously.

Bella's hand gripped mine tightly as the first image of our baby appeared on the screen. I watched the image in awe as tears threatened to fill my eyes. I was utterly speechless as I watched the baby make small movements in Bella's stomach. I've done a few ultrasounds of babies before, but nothing could prepare me for the feelings that coursed through me as I watched my child on the screen.

"Oh, my God," Bella whispered. "Look! The baby's sucking her thumb!" I could hear the tears in her voice.

I answered her with a beaming smile.

We watched in speechless wonder as the tech began measuring the baby, starting with the circumference of the head and finishing with the head to rump length before getting the babies weight. A healthy 6.9 ounces. The tech clicked furiously on the machine, before checking the internal organs. I carefully watched the screen, checking for any anomalies that she might have missed. So far, the baby was perfect.

She finished her examination of the baby's abdomen and looked at the heart, measuring the blood flow and the heartbeat. It was a steady 156 BPM.

The tech broke our silence as she moved the transducer around Bella's stomach. "I'm going to print out a few pictures for you." She printed out a few profile pictures before continuing. "Would you like to know the sex?"

I looked at Bella for the answer. She looked back at me and smiled. "Do you want to know?"

I nodded. "Do you?"

"Yeah," she breathed.

We both turned our heads back and watched the screen as the tech moved the transducer under the baby's rump. I gasped and smiled broadly as the image popped up.

"You were right! It's a girl!" I exclaimed, unable to tear my eyes away.

"Really?" I could hear her sniffling.

The tech looked at me curiously for a moment before answering. "Yes, it's a girl," she said. She looked at me. "How did you know?"

"I'm a doctor."

"Oh, so I guess it's safe to assume you've been watching my examination the entire time?" she asked, quirking her brow.

"Yeah. I'm sorry," I said shamelessly.

"Well, congratulations."

"Thank you," we said in unison.

She printed out a picture with an arrow and the caption "It's a girl!" before wiping Bella's stomach off and throwing away the paper napkin.

Bella took the pictures, and we walked in dazed silence to the exam room. I shut the door behind us and took her into my arms. I cupped her face and kissed her tenderly.

"Our daughter is going to be the most spoiled child in existence," I said happily as I held her in my arms.

She giggled. "With you as her father I have no doubt that that will be true." She gazed at me, her chocolate eyes dancing with excitement. "I guess we should start on the nursery."

I seemed to have a smile permanently fixed to my face. "Hmm. I guess we should. Have any ideas?"

"Not pink." She scrunched up her nose. "Purple?"

"Purple's great."

"We still need a name," she stated.

"Got any in mind?" I had a few I'd thought of in the last couple of days.

"Um, what about Madelyn? Spelled like M-A-D-E-L-Y-N. We could call her Maddie."

It was my turn to scrunch up my nose. "No. What about Emma?"

"No, too common. I think it's like the number one name in the US."

"Oh." I stood there, thinking.

"What about Abby?" she asked.

"Um, no, I don't like that either." I paused. "What about Olivia? Livi for short."

"That's all right, I guess." I could tell she wasn't sold on that one either.

"Well, all right. We should probably grab a baby name book on the way home."

"I already have one," she said with a blush.

"Then we can go through it separately and make lists and then compare. We still have plenty of time, love." I rubbed her back soothingly.

"Okay."

"I do have one condition, though." I felt her stiffen in my arms and smiled. She knew me well.

"What's that?" she asked suspiciously.

"I want her middle name to be the name of the most beautiful woman I know." I grinned, knowing she wouldn't like this.

"What? You want to name the baby after Heidi Klum?" She knew I thought Heidi Klum was hot even though she was blond.

"No," I said laughing. I pulled her face up and looked at her seriously. "I want her middle name to be Isabella."

She snorted. If it had been anyone else it wouldn't have been a pretty sound. "Be serious."

"I am. Bella, I'll make you a compromise." She eyed me warily. "I won't make a list of first names and we can choose from yours if you just let me have this one thing." I looked at her and smiled. "Please?"

She groaned. I knew I'd won. "Fine," she grumbled.

I kissed her hard. "Thank you."

Our heads turned towards the door as it opened. I immediately recognized Dr. Brown from a convention I'd been to when I first arrived in Seattle. I felt so stupid for not realizing it earlier.

"Hello, Bella." She looked at me and her eyes widened. "Dr. Cullen! You're back!"

Bella looked at me knowingly. "Hello, Dr. Brown. It's lovely to see you again," I said politely.

"And you," she said enthusiastically. "So I see you're engaged and having a baby."

"Yes." I looked at Bella and grinned.

"Well, you didn't waste any time, did you?"

The conversation began to get a little uncomfortable for me. I ran my hand through my hair. "Uh, I guess not." I glanced over at Bella, and she shrugged.

She turned around and examined Bella's chart. I took the opportunity to bend down, speaking lowly so that only Bella could hear me. "You were right. I met her at a convention when I first moved to Seattle." I stood up straight and winked at her.

Bella sat down on the exam table and waited for Dr. Brown. "Well, Bella, everything looks great with the baby. She's the perfect size for her age. Lie back for me, please." Bella did as instructed and Dr. Brown palpated her stomach. "Okay, I want to see you back again in four weeks and we'll start measuring your fundal height." She looked at me as if she wanted to say something but then changed her mind.

"Well, congratulations Edward." She looked back at Bella. "I'll see you in four weeks," she said, smiling politely as she walked out the room.

Bella set up her next appointment at the reception desk before we started walking to the car. I opened the door for her before getting in myself.

"Edward?" I looked over to see Bella's eyes fill with tears. "I'm sorry. I'm just hormonal."

"No, what is it, love?" I reached over for her hand.

"I love you."

"As I love you." I wiped the tear that fell down her cheek. "How about we get a bite to eat before spreading the good news?"

She smiled. "Sounds great."

* * *

**Bella**

Edward took me to the Mexican restaurant I loved so much, since I was craving chips and salsa. On the way home, I managed to make it five minutes before calling Seth, Alice, Renee, and Charlie and telling them about the ultrasound results. Alice was excited and couldn't wait to start buying little dresses for the baby, of course. Renee and Charlie were both happy that Edward was back and that the baby was healthy. Seth was just happy.

We got home and walked into the kitchen. I headed directly to the fridge, ultrasound pictures in my hand. I grabbed a magnet and stuck one of the profile pictures on the front. I felt Edward's arms wrap around me, his hands gently laying on my stomach.

He rested his head on my shoulder, looking at the picture. "This picture stays here until she's born. Then we can replace it with a new one."

I felt him smile. "I wouldn't dream of taking it down, love." He kissed my neck before running his nose across my collarbone. "So I'm thinking we should do something special tonight."

I turned in his arms to look at him. "Like what?"

"I was thinking we should go out on a date."

"A date?" I looked up at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. We've been in this house for four days, with the exception of your doctor's appointment and lunch. I was thinking I could take you out to dinner and maybe we could see a movie." He bent down and kissed me quickly. "I have a lot of lost time to make up."

"All right. Where do you want to go?"

He smiled. "I have a few ideas." He ran his hands down my spine. "Would you like to take a shower before we go, love?" he asked huskily.

"Hmm. I am feeling a little dirty," I said, cocking my eyebrow. Jesus, we were insatiable.

He quickly picked me up, cradling me in his arms and took me to the bathroom.

"Hey!" I giggled.

He turned on the water. "Be quiet," he demanded. His eyes burned with fire as he leaned down to kiss me.

Like I could argue with the man who managed to turn my insides to jelly with just a touch of his lips.

* * *

**So--the baby's name is not going to be Renesmee...just in case you were wondering!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thanks for the reviews--they are always welcome! There were some strong opinions about Bella's doctor, lol...everything is explained in this chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 23

**Edward**

**Edward**

Bella raced out of the living room to answer the door, stumbling into the door frame on her way. I felt my whole body tense up--images of her falling on her stomach and hurting herself or the baby racing through my mind--before I saw her catch herself. I exhaled loudly in relief; I was going to be an anxious, nervous wreck before the baby arrived.

Bella came bouncing back in the living room, Emmett trailing behind her.

"Bella, what in God's name are you so excited about?" Emmett demanded, laughing.

"You'll see," she answered smugly.

As soon as the words were spoken Emmett's gaze rested on me. His face dropped in shock, his mouth hanging open before he righted himself and broke out into a wide grin. "Holy shit!" he yelled. He jumped up and clapped his hands once, looking like an over-grown five-year-old.

"Hey, Em. How's it going?" I asked, laughing. I looked over to see Bella grinning happily as she walked over to me.

"When did you get home?" he asked excitedly.

"On Sunday."

"What are you going on about in here?" Rose asked, as she walked in the living room. She spotted me and smiled brightly. "Edward!" She rushed over and gave me a hug.

"Hey, Rosie, how are you?" I asked, hugging her back.

"Why are you here? You weren't supposed to be back for another two months!"

I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist and kissed her forehead. "I couldn't stay away any longer. I missed Bella--I was completely miserable."

Rosalie looked between Bella and I, her gaze resting on Bella's stomach. "So how are you doing now that you're back?" she asked cautiously.

I smiled broadly. "I'm great. Everything's perfect. I couldn't be happier."

She lifted her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Really."

Emmett turned to Bella. "Why the hell didn't you tell me he was back?!"

"Edward wanted to surprise you," she giggled. "Apparently, it worked. You should have seen your face!"

"Well, hell yeah it surprised me! I came in expecting to see your normal depressed self and instead found you hopping around like a demented little bunny! And then I saw my brother, just standing in your living room like he'd never left." He shook his head and looked at me. "So, Daddy, how about a beer for your little brother?"

I laughed. "I think we might have a few around here somewhere."

I started to pull away from Bella but she grabbed my hand and kept it on her waist. I looked at her questioningly. "Shouldn't we tell them everything before you and Emmett go off and do your male bonding thing?"

I smiled at her. "All right. Would you like to tell them or should I?"

"You."

I nodded and looked at Emmett and Rosalie. "Bella had an ultrasound yesterday. We're having a girl," I said, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face.

Emmett looked at Bella and laughed. "Well, how 'bout that. You were right all along."

Bella smiled in return.

"Congratulations, you two," Rose said, smiling. I scrutinized her face and could see nothing hidden. Maybe she was as excited as she seemed.

I pulled Bella into my arms and gave her a soft kiss before I walked downstairs with Emmett. I grabbed a couple beers from the fridge and opened them while Emmett uncovered the pool table. I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, flipping the channel to ESPN as I handed him his beer.

"Emmett?"

"Yeah, bro?" He racked the balls on the table.

"How's Rose really taking the fact that Bella and I are having a baby before the two of you?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, I'm sure Bella already told you but at first she was pretty pissed. She cried almost the entire night after Bella told us, but apologized to her the next morning." He looked at me sheepishly. "But you know Rose. She didn't really mean it. Not at first." I nodded. "She's slowly gotten over it. The last few weeks she's done nothing but talk about buying things for the baby. I think she's really excited to be an aunt."

"And how about you?" I knew Emmett was looking forward to being a father, so I was unsure if he was as honestly excited as he seemed.

"No. Eddie, don't you dare. Don't start feeling guilty about this. I am seriously fucking _happy_ for you two." He broke the balls, knocking two striped ones in. "I'm stripes," he announced as he looked for a shot.

"Are you sure?"

"Are you fucking kidding me, man?" he retorted. "I'm going to have the cutest little niece ever. Of course I'm happy." He stood there and smiled at me. "Well, she'll be the cutest little niece as long as she looks like her mother."

"Haha. I hope you're right. I would love for the baby to look like Bella." I lined up a shot and took it. "She seems pretty convinced she'll look like me though."

"God help us. A mini version of you," he said sarcastically. He changed the subject. "So what did Mom and Dad think of you leaving early?"

"Mom was happy. You know her. She's in love with me being in love." I rolled my eyes. "Dad was fine. I gave him six weeks to find a replacement for me, but he decided the team was large enough without me that he didn't need to look for one. He actually apologized for asking me to go--a lot."

"Oh, yeah?" He took a pull of his beer.

I nodded. "Yeah. He said he knew I would say yes and that Mom had tried to convince him not to ask me, but he did anyway. He said he should have found someone else." I didn't want to get into it.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know." I took a deep breath. "On one hand, I wish I would have never gone. Emmett, I missed Bella so much. I didn't sleep, couldn't eat--couldn't _breathe_. I felt like someone had ripped this huge hole in my chest. It hurt constantly."

He looked at me seriously. "You know Bella was completely fucked up while you were gone, right?"

"Yes. That's another reason why I wished I'd never gone. To know I've caused her so much pain..." I trailed off. "I don't know if I can ever forgive myself. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her."

"What's the other hand?" He knocked the last of his balls in. "Eight ball, right corner pocket." He shot and missed. "Damn."

"Well, if I hadn't gone, Bella and I wouldn't be on the verge of being parents right now." I looked down at the table, unable to focus on the shot. "I want this little girl so much, Em. I _love_ her so much already. It's hard to find fault with something that made me so miserable when the result makes me so happy." I shrugged. "Sorry," I muttered.

"Don't be. It's cool. You make me excited for when it will happen to me."

I looked up at him. "Really? How come?"

"Well, I know you. You weren't into marriage and family until you met Bella. Honestly, I couldn't have been more surprised when you popped the question. You were always so focused on being a doctor, I didn't expect you to settle down anytime soon--if ever. And now I see you and how happy you are with Bella, with becoming a dad, I can't wait for it to happen to me. Because if you can be this happy, then I can only imagine what I'll feel."

I laughed. "Emmett, I don't think anyone could be any happier than I am right now. I may not have ever known this was something I wanted, but now that it's happening, it's like nothing else I've ever felt before." The conversation was beginning to get a little too deep for me. "By the way, you just lost."

Emmett looked down. "Fuck!" he shouted. He looked back at me and laughed. "Best two out of three?"

"Fine. Whatever. You are such a sore loser." I rolled my eyes.

"No, I'm not. I just don't like losing to _you_." I laughed. "Hey, Eddie?"

"Yeah?" I got the last ball out of the pocket.

"You'll be a great dad."

I smiled. "Thanks."

* * *

**Bella**

Rosalie and I went into the kitchen after Edward and Emmett went downstairs. I suddenly _had_ to have a scoop of ice cream. This little girl loved her cookie dough.

I grabbed the ice cream out of the freezer and went to grab a bowl out of the cabinet. "Do you want any?"

"No. That's okay."

She had brought her suitcase into the kitchen with her. I looked at it as I took my first bite. "Why did you bring your suitcase into the kitchen?"

"I have something for you." _Uh-oh._

"What is it?" I asked skeptically.

She laughed. "I know you don't like gifts, but I saw this at a little boutique downtown and I had to pick it up for you." She held out a small package wrapped in purple polka dotted paper with a big white bow.

"You must have been reading my mind, Rose. I told Edward yesterday that I wanted purple for the baby's room." I took the gift from her, determined to be gracious and not pout over the fact that someone had bought something for me... for no reason. After all, it was the first gift I'd received. I'd managed to reign Alice in so far.

"Well, you don't seem like the pink type."

I laughed. "No, I'm definitely not." I opened the present and pulled out the smallest, most adorable dress I'd ever laid eyes on. It was cream colored with coral, yellow, and green butterflies all over it. It even had matching bloomers with it.

"Rose, it's beautiful!" I felt my eyes well up with tears and wiped them away. "God, stupid hormones," I muttered.

"I'm glad you like it. I thought if the baby ends up with hair the same color as Edward's, it would look good on her." She shrugged.

I walked over to her and gave her a hug. "Thank you. This means more to me than you can imagine." I felt like she had finally forgiven me.

She knew what I meant. "Bella, I know I can be a bitch at times. But I swear, I'm not mad at you. I never was. Honestly, I can't wait to be an aunt." She gave me a genuine smile. "And there's something I wanted to tell you. I figured after putting you through hell when you told me about being pregnant last month, you deserved to be the first to know."

A thousand things raced through my mind before it finally settled on one. _Oh, my God._ "Rose, are you telling me what I think you're telling me?"

Her face broke out into a brilliant smile. "Yes. I'm pregnant!"

I squealed happily. I couldn't help it. My hormones were turning me into Alice. "Oh, my God! Congratulations!" I shouted.

"Shh!" She was scowling but somehow laughing at the same time. "I haven't told Emmett yet."

"What? Why?"

"Because, you called on Wednesday. That was the day I found out! He was so worried about why you wanted us to come over, I couldn't find a decent time to tell him! And now that Edward's back, I'll wait until we get back home to tell him." She was smiling broadly.

"Oh, damn. I'm so sorry!" I felt awful for spoiling it for her.

"Oh, Bella. Don't be stupid. I think it'll be better this way. You and Alice can help me think of an awesome way to tell him."

I giggled. "You can actually use the one I wished I'd have been able to use on Edward."

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"I wanted to make him dinner, and pretend that it was on a plate under a lid, you know, like the one's room service use?" She nodded. "Instead of his dinner would be a little pacifier on the plate, with a note attached to 'Daddy'."

"That's a really good idea. I just might use that."

"Ooh! Or you could actually make him dinner and instead of regular food, everything could have the word 'baby' in it. Like baby carrots, baby corn, baby back ribs." I stopped. "You get it."

"Damn. I like that one, too." She waved her hands in front of her. "Okay, okay. That's enough of that. Eat your ice cream before it melts. Otherwise, we'll have to send Edward out for some more." She held up the empty carton, laughing.

"Oh, I'm sure we've got some more around here somewhere. He's not even been back for an entire week yet and he's already stocked up on cookie dough ice cream and pickles for me." I rolled my eyes, thinking of how much he planned to do for me, like I was an invalid.

"You're really lucky, you know," she said seriously.

"I know," I mumbled, my mouth full of ice cream. "I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

* * *

"Seth Clearwater, that did not happen!"

Alice was yelling at Seth about getting drunk at Eric Yorkie's graduation party. Seth was telling her that she fell down outside while Eric's dog humped her. Apparently there were pictures floating around somewhere to prove this.

"Tell her, Bells." He looked at me pleadingly.

There was no way I was getting involved in this conversation. "I have no idea. I wasn't there."

"You weren't there?" Emmett was looking at me, confused.

"No. I was home. I didn't really go out that much." I leaned back against Edward, who had been rubbing soothing circles on my back.

Seth's brows knit. "Damn. You're right. You weren't." He looked back over at Alice. "I bet Eric's still got those pictures. I could call him and have him mail me some copies to prove it to you."

"You are so full of shit." Alice shook her head. "I don't care how drunk I got, I would have never let that happen."

"Wanna bet?" Seth asked her, grinning.

"Fine. Twenty bucks says it didn't happen."

"Fifty," he countered.

"Deal." She held out her hand and they shook on it.

"Anyone want to play Rock Band with me?" Emmett asked, looking around the room at us.

"I will," Seth said.

"I'll sing!" Rose exclaimed.

They all got up and went down to the game room, leaving me with Edward, Alice, and Jasper.

I glanced over at Edward, and finally said the thoughts that had been on my mind all day.

"Edward?" I asked hesitantly. He looked at me with a confused expression on his face. "Did you date Dr. Brown or something?"

"What?" He looked stunned. "No, why?"

"Well, yesterday, I mean she was kind of rude to you," I stammered and blushed. Maybe I was just imagining things.

"Bella's doctor was rude to you?" Alice asked. "She's always so sweet." Her brows knit together.

"Um..." Edward trailed off, uncomfortable. "Okay, so I've been giving it some thought and you remember how I said that I met her at a conference when I first moved to Seattle?" I nodded. "Well, I didn't notice it then, but I'm fairly certain she was flirting with me."

That would explain it. Rejection. "Did you flirt back?"

He shook his head. "No. I barely even spoke to her. I honestly didn't know why she was so annoyed with me yesterday."

Alice had been listening to our conversation. "You don't think you'll need to find another doctor, do you Bella?"

I groaned. "I hope not. I really like her."

"I don't think it will be a problem." I blinked at him in surprise. He sounded so sure. "I've already spoken to her about it, love." He grinned crookedly.

"What did you say?"

"I simply asked her if there was a reason that she had been so rude to me yesterday. Apparently, when I was at the conference I told someone that I wasn't interested in getting into a relationship with anyone, that my job came first. Word got back to her sometime in between your last appointment and yesterday and she felt like I had lied about it."

"What do you mean 'apparently'?" I was extremely confused.

"Well, I don't remember saying it." He looked at me sheepishly. "I was so distracted by this booth displaying a new sixty-four slice Lightspeed, I guess I didn't pay much attention to the conversation. You should have seen this thing, Bella. It is extremely fast. The gantry rotates at three times per second. It can take a picture of a beating heart in five seconds, a picture of an organ in one. I've been trying to get the hospital to invest in one; not only would the Trauma Department benefit from its speed, the cardiology department could do wonders with this type of equipment, " he said excitedly.

I just looked at him.

"Sorry. So of course I apologized. I explained to her that I didn't lie to her, that at the time it was the truth. But everything changed when I met you and that I understood if she was upset with me but I wouldn't tolerate her taking any of her frustrations with me out on you. She said that she really enjoyed having you as a patient and would never let any personal feelings affect her relationship with a patient." He smiled at me. "She also said she really liked you as a person and that I was very lucky to have found you."

"Really?" I was kind of surprised by this.

"Really."

"Edward, how in the hell did you not notice someone was flirting with you?" Jasper asked, laughing.

He ran his hand through his hair. "I have no idea. I seem to do it a lot, though," he chuckled.

We were quiet for a little while before Alice looked at me and began speaking. "Okay, Bella, I know you're probably not going to like this, and I'm sorry, but I have to say it." I looked at her in confusion as she looked over at Edward.

"I told you so," she said smugly.

"Yes, I know. Ali, I'm sorry," he said, his face set in a frown.

"What are you talking about?"

"Alice told Edward that he was going to hurt you," Jasper answered.

"Actually, Jazz, I think the phrase she used was 'fuck it up'. I'm thankful that I didn't. But I did hurt her." Edward looked at the floor, his eyes full of remorse.

"Yes, you did. Do you have any idea what kind of mess you left behind?" Jasper asked harshly.

"I know," Edward said quietly.

"She _was_ pretty messed up, Edward." Alice's face was set in a scowl, but her tone was apologetic.

"Ali." Edward looked at her. "I said I was sorry. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her."

"I never got a chance to ask you before you left," Jasper said to Edward. "How in the hell could you do that to her? _Why_ would you do that to her?"

"I don't know. I thought it was something I had to do, for my father. I guess I let my feelings of loyalty for my family get in the way of the love I feel for Bella."

"That's it? That's your excuse?" Jasper asked, full of skepticism. "What the fuck, Edward? If it was me, there would be no way in _hell_ I could ever leave Alice. No matter who asked me to and what it was for."

"Stop it," I demanded.

Edward glanced back at me. "No, love, it's okay. I deserve it."

"No," I protested. "You don't." I glared at Alice and Jasper. "I understand you think you're protecting me, but making Edward feel like shit is not protecting me."

"Bella, I wasn't trying to make him feel like shit," Alice protested.

"I know. _You_ weren't." I looked pointedly at Jasper.

"Sorry, Bella," Jasper muttered.

"Yeah, well, I love you Jazz, but sometimes your overprotective big-brother crap gets in the way of your better judgment." I was pissed.

I sat there and stared at the floor, trying to calm down. I heard Alice and Jasper moving and looked up.

"We're going downstairs to watch them play," Alice announced as she and Jasper got up off the couch, leaving Edward and I alone.

I looked back over at Edward and saw his expression had not changed. His eyes were still tormented.

I grabbed his face in my hands. "Edward, look at me." It took him a moment before he finally did so. "Stop it. Stop feeling guilty. There is nothing to feel guilty about. You were in just as much pain as I was." His eyes flashed with emotion as I moved his hand to my stomach. "If you wouldn't have gone, our daughter would not exist. So there is nothing to feel guilty about. Not anymore." He nodded his head but didn't say anything.

It took him a few minutes, but I could finally see his posture relax and the anguish in his eyes disappearing.

He smiled tentatively. "You have no idea how much I love you, Bella."

"Oh, I think I do. It would be as much as I love you--maybe. If that's possible." I could tell he was feeling a little better.

He shook his head. "I'm pretty sure there's no contest. I would win, hands down." He winked and continued before I could argue further. "I called the hospital this afternoon."

"Oh?" That did it--that kept me from arguing with him. The curiosity was burning in my voice.

"I spoke to Dr. Henderson and told him I was back and that I'd love to come back to work on two conditions." He rubbed circles with his thumb on my stomach.

"What's that?"

"Well, after I told him about the baby, I said I would only work days and that I wouldn't be available on holidays... ever." He smiled at me.

"What did he say?"

"He said that I was such an asset to the hospital that he would gladly meet my conditions." His smile widened. "I'm scheduled to go back on Monday. I'll work five days a week, eight am to five pm, alternating weekends on-call, and _never_ a holiday."

"Really?" I felt like at any moment someone would come and burst my happy bubble.

He laughed. "Really. Bella, I am going to be the best husband and father I can be. You deserve no less." He leaned down and kissed me. "I wanted to talk to you about something though." His tone was serious, I couldn't imagine what was on his mind.

"What?" I asked. I could hear the fear in my voice.

"It's nothing bad, love. Relax," he said, smiling. "I was wondering if you absolutely _had_ to continue working at the library."

I felt my brows furrow. "What else would I do?"

"Well, I thought you could stay home. Maybe write." He shrugged. "It's not like we need the money."

I sat there and thought about it for a moment. Would I be any good? What if I put all my focus into a novel and never sold it? I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle that kind of failure.

My fear must have been obvious on my face. "Bella? What are you thinking?"

I looked up at Edward. "What if I'm no good? What if I fail?"

He kissed me passionately. "I have so much confidence in your ability as a writer." He paused, taking my hands in his. "Bella, Ali's shown me some of your work from college." My eyes widened. "You're wonderful. There's no way you could fail."

"I am?" I asked shyly.

"Yes. I read some of your short stories. I couldn't put them down." He took a deep breath. "You know, this would be a way for you to continue working and be home with the baby." He gave me his most dazzling smile.

I shook my head and laughed. He always thought of every aspect to win me over. "Fine," I said, still laughing. "You win. You always do."

His kissed me again. "You won't regret it, I promise." He was still smiling. "My wife is going to be a famous writer."

"Wife?"

"Well, you were still going to marry me at the end of the year, weren't you?" he smirked.

"I'm not sure. The baby will only be a few months old." I stopped, afraid to continue.

"So?"

"I don't want you to think I'm vain," I said, blushing.

He chuckled softly. "I could never think that."

"What if I get fat?" God, I felt so stupid.

"What?" He shook his head. "How could you even think that? Have you not looked at yourself in the mirror?"

"Well, yeah. A little," I said, still embarrassed.

"You look amazing. The only difference in your body is your stomach and your beautiful breasts. I love them, by the way." I blushed even deeper. "There's no way you could ever be fat."

"I don't know. Did you have a specific date in mind?" The look that flashed through his eyes made it obvious he did. "When?"

"I was thinking on December fifteenth," he said, so softly, I almost didn't catch it.

"The fifteenth? Why?" I couldn't hide my surprise.

"I thought we could turn the day that brings back bad memories into one that brings good ones instead." He shrugged. "We don't have to if you don't want to. It's not a big deal. I just want to marry you, I don't care what day it is, just as long as I can make you my wife." He looked back at me, his green eyes swirling with emotion.

"Well, when you put it like that..." I giggled. "The fifteenth sounds wonderful."

"The fifteenth of what?" Alice asked, interrupting us.

We both looked over to see everyone had come back upstairs.

Edward was beaming. "We just set a date."

Alice squealed. "When?!"

"December fifteenth," I said, unable to keep the grin off my face.

"That's great!" Rose exclaimed.

"So when do I get to start planning?" Alice asked me.

"Whenever, I guess." I had no idea how long something like that would take. "But you can't go overboard. Edward and I get to have the final approval of everything. I will not let you turn the wedding into a three ring circus."

"Fine, not a problem." Alice waved her hand in dismissal.

Everyone started chattering around me, but I was unable to concentrate on what they said. I couldn't stop staring at Edward, watching his green eyes dance with excitement as he talked to our family and friends.

He looked over at me, still beaming. "You just made me that happiest man alive."

I laughed. "How? You already knew I was going to marry you."

"Yes, but now it's definite. I have a specific day to look forward to. I will be waiting for this for the rest of the year." I pressed his lips against mine. "I love you, Isabella."

I sighed. "I love you, Edward."

* * *

**So the drunk/dog story is actually a true story from my drunken college days....and yes, there are pictures floating around somewhere.**

**A Lightspeed is a type of CT Scanner that GE sells--I just threw that in there because it's what my family does for a living and it's a medical subject I actually know a little about ;) **


	24. Chapter 24

**All right, as promised return of romantic Edward...followed by naughty Bella. LEMON ALERT!!!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 24

**Edward**

"Bella. You need to breathe." I couldn't help but smile at her as I said this. She was throwing her clothes around the bedroom in frustration, trying to figure out what to pack.

We were getting ready to fly out to see Carlisle and Esme in Chicago. My birthday was over the weekend, so we were going to celebrate it with my family while welcoming them back. She was extremely nervous about their reactions to the baby, which was idiotic. They would be unbelievably happy. Esme had been waiting for years for one of us to give her a grandchild.

She literally growled. "I have nothing to wear!"

"Bella, I find that unlikely. Ali just took you shopping the other day." I was still grinning. I couldn't seem to stop myself.

"I look like a cow, Edward." She plopped down on the bed. "God, I hate this!"

I sighed. _Hormones._ I sat down on the bed next to her and pulled her into my arms, stroking her back gently. "You don't look like a cow. You look beautiful."

She looked at me and scoffed. "Yeah, right. I've gained something like twenty pounds this month." I could hear her voice shake; she was on the verge of tears.

"No, you haven't. You haven't even gained twenty pounds the entire time."

Bella laid back on the bed and threw her arm over her face. I leaned down and kissed the baby through her stomach before getting up. Bella needed a distraction. I grabbed everything she would need for the few days we'd be in Chicago and put it neatly in her suitcase. I then grabbed the remote to the stereo system I had in the bedroom and turned it on.

Claire de Lune came softly pouring out of the speakers. She loved this song; it always reminded her of our first date. There hadn't been a time I'd turned it on that it didn't bring her out of the bad mood she was in. It was foolproof.

I grabbed her hands and pulled her up off the bed. "Come here," I murmured as I brought her close to me.

"I can't," she giggled. Her stomach was beginning to get in the way.

I smiled as I cupped her face and nuzzled her nose with mine. "Hmm. I see. Well, we'll just have to adjust ourselves a little." I smirked. Her eyes were shining brightly, and she for the first time today, she actually looked like she should--glowing.

_I knew it would work_, I thought smugly.

"You know, we still don't have a name yet. Have you thought of any?"

She bit her lip. "No. I can't seem to think of anything. I hate them all." She blew out a breath. "You might as well name her."

I chuckled. I'd actually thought of something a while ago, but was waiting to see if Bella would come up with anything before I suggested it--as per our agreement.

"I actually already thought of one, love."

She looked at me in surprise. "You did? Tell me! What is it?"

"Listen to the music," I said quietly.

She laid her head on my chest and was still for a moment before she understood what I was saying. "Claire!" she gasped.

I smiled into her hair. "The song means so much to you, I thought it would be fitting to name our daughter after it."

"Claire Isabella Cullen." The name sounded so beautiful spoken through Bella's lips. "Edward, it's perfect," she cried.

I looked down at her and saw her eyes shining with tears. "Don't cry." I leaned down and kissed her gently.

She took a shaky breath. "I can't help it."

"I know."

"You don't mind how crazy I am, right?" She looked so worried, it brought a smile to my face.

"No. I don't mind.," I said grinning. "I would deal with your kind of crazy any day, " I joked.

"Haha."

We stood there and listened to the song as it ended. "We'd better get going so we don't miss our flight."

"Yeah. I have to call Seth and Alice on the way. I promised them I'd call them before we left."

"You call Seth; I'll call Ali." I actually had something to discuss with her.

"No, I can call her." She waved dismissively.

"Let me. I actually need to ask her to do me a favor," I said nonchalantly.

"What's that?" She looked confused.

"I have some paperwork that's going to be delivered here for work while we're gone and I was going to see if she or Jasper could come and bring it in the house for me," I lied.

"Oh. Okay. Well, make sure you tell her I love her and that I will call her when we get back."

"All right." I leaned down and kissed her forehead before taking the suitcases to the car.

I dialed Alice's number and waited for her to pick up.

"Hello, Edward," she laughed.

"Hey, Ali. Is everything going all right?"

"Yeah. The painters are meeting me tomorrow afternoon at your house and Jasper and I picked up the crib and the rest of the furniture yesterday. I'm going to go pick up the bedding in a little while and I'll go shopping for clothes and that sort of thing on Saturday. Everything will be ready. Don't worry."

Bella refused to let anyone throw her a baby shower, so Ali and I had plotted to have the nursery finished while we were in Chicago. Every one of our friends and family had pitched in and purchased something for it--all with the exception of Carlisle and Esme, who I would talk to this weekend. I was going to put their names on the glider Alice had picked out.

"Okay. There's some extra cash on the kitchen counter by the coffee pot in case you need it." Bella hadn't seen me put it out this morning.

"All right. Sounds good. But I think we've got it covered."

"Oh, before I forget. Bella wanted the baby's name on the wall above her crib." She had seen it in a magazine and loved the idea.

"How am I supposed to do that? You two haven't decided on a name yet." I was silent. "Wait, you have, haven't you?" She squealed. "Edward, tell me!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down," I said laughing. "Her name is Claire. Claire Isabella." My heart leapt in my chest with the name.

"Oh, my God. I love it! Okay, I'll get on that right now! I'll see you when you get back!" She hung up before I could say anything else.

I stood there waiting for Bella to come out to the garage and looked around. My eyes landed on Bella's tiny car, and I immediately started to scowl. There was no way Bella could keep that car, no matter how much she argued with me. A car seat designed for an infant would never fit properly in the back.

"Edward? What's wrong?" Bella asked, laughing.

"You need a new car."

"No. I don't," she said firmly.

"You can't fit a baby carrier in that car, Bella. You need to decide on what you want." I saw the look on her face and kept talking. "Otherwise, I'm going to pick one out for you."

She huffed. "Fine."

"You have two weeks, love. I need time to actually go and purchase the car before the baby gets here. We only have about eleven weeks left. Maybe more, maybe less depending on when you go into labor. I want to make sure everything's done in plenty of time so that we can relax and enjoy ourselves before she comes."

"Are you done?" She smirked.

I looked at her for a moment and grinned. "Yes, I believe so."

"Then shut up so we can go," she said laughing.

* * *

I punched in the security code at the gate before we drove up to my parent's house.

"Jesus," Bella muttered under her breath; I laughed. "Did you grow up here?"

"Yeah."

Carlisle and Esme's house usually got that type of reaction. Esme had poured her heart and soul into designing the house with an architect. There wasn't another one like it. It sat on five acres and boasted over ten thousand square feet, eight bedrooms, nine and a half bathrooms, a three car attached garage with another four car detached garage, a pool, and a guest house--which was my destination. I wanted to get our suitcases out of the car before going to the main house. I knew Bella would want to freshen up before seeing my parents for the first time in months... especially with the big announcement she would make just by walking through the door.

I took the suitcases into the main bedroom while Bella ran used the bathroom and brushed her hair. She walked out putting the pale pink gloss on her lips that I loved so much.

"Are you doing okay?" I asked her as she came over to me.

"Yeah," she breathed. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous."

I ran my hands over her stomach. "And Claire?" I asked, a thrill rushing through my body as I said my daughter's name to Bella for the first time.

She smiled brilliantly at me. "She's just great. Kicking up a storm." I felt a small shift in her stomach as she said this.

"What was that?" I asked, laughing. "An elbow?" I leaned down so that my face was close to the baby. "Did you just elbow me, Claire?" I shook my head. "Keep it up, and I may have to ground you, little girl."

Bella laughed. "All right. No grounding our daughter before she's born." She took a deep breath. "Let's go before I lose my nerve."

I took Bella's hand and led her through the pool area, to the main house.

I opened the door and called inside. "Mom? Dad? We're here!" I shouted as we walked into the sunroom.

"Edward!" Esme cried, as she walked over to us. She looked over at Bella and stopped. Her eyes practically popped out of her head and her mouth dropped. "Oh, my God! Both of my boys are having babies!" she screamed, running over to give me a hug.

Apparently Emmett and Rosalie had already shared their news with my parents.

I hugged her back laughing. "Yes, this was the big news Bella had for me."

She released me and hugged Bella tightly. "Oh, how are you, sweetie?"

"I'm fine," Bella replied, grinning.

"Can I?" Esme asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" I could see the relief in Bella's face. I told her she had nothing to worry about.

Esme gently put her hand on Bella's ever changing bump. "When are you due?"

"September seventh."

"So soon?" Esme looked over at me. "Edward, that's less than three months away!"

"I know. Eleven weeks to be exact," I replied happily.

"Do you two know what you're having?"

Bella looked at me. "We're having a girl." I felt myself grinning from ear to ear. "Her name is Claire Isabella Cullen."

"Oh, that's beautiful!" She turned back towards the rest of the house. "Carlisle! Get in here now!"

"Okay, I'm coming. What is going on?" he asked as he came in. He abruptly stopped as he looked at both of us. "Well, look at you two! Congratulations, son!"

He came over and gave both of us hugs. "Thanks, Dad."

"Bella, I wanted to apologize to you. I feel even worse now than I did before. I should never have asked Edward to come along."

"Dad," I ran my hands through my hair. I didn't want to bring any more unpleasant memories to Bella's mind. "You don't have to..." I trailed off at Bella's expression.

"It's okay. Thank you, Carlisle. I appreciate that more than you can imagine."

"They're having a girl! In September! Her name is going to be Claire!" Esme said enthusiastically, cutting off any reply Carlisle could have had. She looked back at me "Do your brother and Rosie know?"

I nodded. "Everything except for her name. We just decided on that this morning."

"Good." She grabbed our arms and led us into the living room. "Bella, sit down, dear. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No, thank you." She looked at me and smiled sheepishly. "Actually, where's the bathroom?"

"Again?" I laughed.

"Yeah. Again."

Esme led her to the bathroom just down the hall before coming back. "So is everything okay with you? I mean, you _seem_ happy."

I smiled. "I would venture to guess I'm quite a bit more excited than you, believe it or not."

Carlisle smiled. "Do you two have a date for the wedding set?" He looked at me seriously. "I hate to be a killjoy, but you're having a baby with that girl, Edward. I know you love her, but you need to marry her. Soon."

I laughed. "Are you really that backwards, Dad?"

"No. But I just want to make sure you're not going to let her get away."

I shook my head vehemently. " There's no chance of that ever happening. We're getting married on December fifteenth. Ali's already started looking for a place for the reception and bought Bella subscriptions to a few bridal magazines."

"Is that going to work now that Emmett and Rose are having a baby? I think she's due on December first." Esme looked worried.

"Yeah. We've already talked about it. Emmett is supposed to be my best man, but if he can't make it, Seth will do it." I really hoped Rose had the baby in time to make it to the wedding. I wanted all of my family to be there.

Carlisle and Esme exchanged an excited look. "Edward, we're so happy for you."

"Thanks, Dad. I really appreciate it."

* * *

**Bella**

We got back home Sunday evening-- I was completely exhausted. Edward seemed to love all of the gifts we got him. He immediately put on the watch I'd given him, claiming it was his favorite gift of them all. I just think he loved the fact that the card had been signed by me and Claire.

I got out of the car and started towards the door, destined to crawl into the bed and stay there for the rest of the night. I still had one more thing to give Edward for his birthday.

"Where do you think you're going?" Edward asked, grabbing my hand. Apparently, Edward had other plans.

"I'm going to bed," I laughed.

"I wanted to talk to you about the nursery first. I'd like to get started on it." He pulled me into the house and led me to the foyer.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" I whined. The room we'd decided for the nursery was completely empty. It wouldn't hurt anyone to wait a few hours before we discussed it.

"Nope." He gripped my hand even tighter as we walked up the stairs.

We got to the top of the stairs and he let go of my hand, falling behind me. I looked back at him in confusion before I opened the door.

I turned on the light, expecting the empty, khaki colored room and gasped; I was stunned. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on. The walls had been painted a soft lavender with a fairy mural painted on the main wall behind the antique white crib. It looked like someone had taken a page out of a fairy tale and painted it on the wall. Inside the mural, the baby's name was written in beautiful script.

The bedding was a purple, pink, and cream fairy print with flowers. I looked around and saw a glider, dresser and a changing table that matched the crib. There was a creamy white colored chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

The room was filled with anything and everything Edward and I could possibly need for the baby. I walked around and opened the drawers to find diapers, wipes, onesies, and sleepers. I opened the closet doors and saw it full of toys and clothes lined up by size.

The entire room was so romantic--so unlike anything I could have ever dreamed up on my own. I felt my eyes well up with tears as I turned back to Edward. I saw his worried expression and rushed over to him, burying my face in his chest.

"Do you like it?" he whispered nervously.

"It's amazing. How did you do all of this?"

"Everyone did it, love. Since you didn't want a baby shower, Ali and I designed it for you." He stroked my back soothingly. "Did you see the names of everyone who bought something specific for Claire?"

I wiped the tears from my eyes and sniffled. "No."

I walked back around the room again, paying closer attention. There were little purple name tags on various things around the room. I saw that Alice and Jasper's name was on the chandelier, Rose and Emmett's names were on the bedding, Carlisle and Esme's names were on the glider. I opened the closet and saw Renee's, Phil's, and Charlie's names--among others--scattered on certain pieces of clothing and toys. I opened the drawer on the changing table and saw Seth's name on the diapers, making me laugh.

"I'm going to assume that if it doesn't have a name tag on it, it's from you?"

He ran his hand through his hair. I could tell he was still worried I'd start yelling at him soon. "Yeah."

I walked back over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him to me. "Thank you," I said before I stood up on my toes and kissed him.

"Hmm," he hummed into my mouth. "If I'd have known you'd react this well to a gift, I'd have gotten you pregnant a lot sooner," he teased.

I giggled and pulled back just enough to see into his eyes. "It's time to go downstairs." His eyes widened and I smiled. "There's more to your birthday present than just the watch," I said seductively.

"Oh, really?" He smirked as he cradled me in his arms and started out the room.

"Hey!" I giggled. I looked back at him. "I guess I shouldn't complain about you not letting me walk. You probably won't be able to lift me much longer."

He snorted. "Oh, please."

We reached our bedroom and he put me back on my feet. "There's more," he said, pointing across the room.

Where the sitting area used to be, now held a cradle with the same fairy printed bedding that matched the crib and another changing table--stocked to the brim with diapers, wipes, creams, and pacifiers. You name it, it was in there.

I smiled back at him and started to open my mouth, but he rubbed his thumb across my lip, causing any words that I was about to say stop immediately on my tongue. "There's also more in the kitchen. Bottles and things like that. But I don't think I want you to leave this room for the rest of the night," he said huskily, his eyes burning with fire. His brows furrowed as he remembered I wasn't through with his gift. "What exactly was the rest of my birthday present?"

"Lay down and take off your clothes," I said quietly. I was a little nervous about this part. He looked at me curiously before complying.

I raced over to the bathroom and grabbed the lingerie Alice had picked out for me. It was a white, flyaway babydoll with a black floral print that tied at my breasts and had matching panties. I looked at myself in the mirror and breathed out a sigh of relief. Besides the bump barely visible through the slit up the front, I looked just the same as I always did. I grabbed the other things I'd bought and slowly opened the door.

Edward was laying there, just as I'd instructed, looking like a living statue of a Greek god. He literally took my breath away as I ran my gaze across his glorious body. I saw him swallow visibly as he took in my clothes before he grinned crookedly.

"You look wonderful, love." I blushed in response.

He started to move around on the bed. "Oh, no. Don't move a muscle, Dr. Cullen," I said, cocking my eyebrow.

He moved himself back against the headboard and watched me come over to him. I pulled the handcuffs from behind my back and watched his eyes bug out. "Is this okay?" He nodded his head furiously, causing me to laugh.

I was thankful his huge four poster bed had an intricate wrought iron design on the top of the headboard and footboard so that I had something to attach his wrists to. I got him secured to the headboard and looked back over at his face.

He was watching me intently. He had to clear his throat before he spoke. "What exactly did you have planned?"

"Mmm," I said laughing. "You'll see."

I moved myself on top of his lap and ground my hips into him. I felt his arms jerk at the restraints as I did. I looked over at him and began licking my way across his jaw, before I reached his earlobe, biting gently.

He moaned softly. "You like that?" I whispered in his ear.

"You have no idea." I was pretty sure I did. I could feel his dick twitch with every movement I made on his body.

I moved my mouth down his neck to the hollow where his neck met his collarbone and bit down again, this time a little harder before I grazed my teeth across his collarbone.

"Fuck," he groaned.

I moved my mouth down to his nipple, trailing open mouth kisses around it, before I bit down and tugged it gently with my teeth. My hands worked their way down his body, before I closed one hand around his shaft, squeezing lightly. He moaned as I began pumping him gently, increasing the pressure and speed before I worked my mouth down his stomach to him and took him in. I moved my mouth slowly up and down his dick before I looked up at him, licking the tip. I grinned up at him wickedly and took him in my mouth again. I sucked in forcefully as I moved up and down him, taking him further and further into my mouth each time. I finally worked my way all the way down his shaft, taking him all the way in, before I grazed my teeth up his dick on my way back up.

I felt his hips buck up, and I hummed in response. "Fuck, Bella!" He came into my mouth, pulling against the handcuffs as he cried out.

I used my hand to pump out all of his salty liquid before I sat up and looked at him. I swallowed it all and smiled. "You taste so good," I said, biting my lip.

"Oh, God, Bella." He closed his eyes and moaned something unintelligible as he jerked against the handcuffs again. "I need to touch you."

"You want to touch me?" I straddled him again, moving my hips slowly against him. I could feel him already getting hard again.

"God, yes."

"Where?" I asked softly.

His eyes snapped open. His eyes were burning with desire as he ran his gaze up and down my body. "What are you doing to me?" he groaned.

I merely smiled in response. "What would you do to me if you could touch me?"

"I'd untie that sexy fucking nightgown you're wearing and pull it off your body."

I did as he said; he bit his lip as he saw my naked breasts on display in front of his face. "Now what?"

"I'd run my hands up your sides before I grabbed your tits and squeezed them." I did as instructed and cocked my brow, feeling him get harder as I did. I felt myself getting wet in response.

I leaned against him and kissed him once, my tongue tracing against his before I pulled back. "Should I take my panties off now?"

He nodded once. "Yes. Now," he growled. I moved myself back further on the bed slowly pulled my panties off and threw them on the floor. I moved my hands back to my breasts and began massaging them. "Put your fingers inside you," he demanded.

I bit my lip and felt my body tighten at his words. I ran my hand down my body before I trailed my fingers down my slit. I watched him as I plunged my fingers inside myself, moving them in and out gently. His dick twitched as I did, making me moan. I began to move my fingers faster, the palm of my hand rubbing my clit as I did. I felt my whole body tense up, aching for release.

It was strange; I felt so uninhibited with him. I could feel the telltale blush of my cheeks, but any insecurity I might have had was nothing compared to the way the look of rapture on his face made me burn for him. I wanted to please him, to keep things entertaining in the bedroom and knew that in all honesty, this was my last chance for a while. Soon I'd be too big to feel comfortable enough to do this and after Claire was born, we'd be too busy adjusting as new parents to give sex a lot of thought.

"Edward," I gasped.

"Come on, love. Make yourself come," he growled. That was all I needed. I felt the waves of my orgasm rush through me causing me to shudder. He yanked on the handcuffs again. "Bella. Take these things off me now so I can fuck you."

I could have come again with his words. "I need you, Edward." But I wasn't quite ready to let him have his way with me yet.

I moved myself over his dick and quickly came down on him. "God, you feel good," I cried with the bolt of pleasure that went through me.

I somehow managed to sit perfectly still and stared at him. "You want to fuck me?"

He picked his hips up and brought us back down on the bed, moving himself slightly in my body. "Please," he begged.

I got off him and grabbed the key off the nightstand. I unlocked the first set of handcuffs and felt his hand cup around my neck, pulling me towards him as soon as I unlocked the second set of cuffs. He kissed me fiercely before pushing me down on the bed and thrusting himself into me. He moved in and out slowly, before pushing himself all the way in and stopping.

"What do you want, love?"

It was my turn to beg, and I had no qualms doing so. "Fuck me."

He pulled himself out and pushed back in once. "What? I don't think I heard you."

"Fuck me, Edward," I yelled.

He looked me directly in the eyes. "Turn around."

I turned around and felt him slap my ass before he slammed himself back into me. "Oh, God!" I screamed. It felt so good, I could barely see straight.

He pounded himself into me over and over. I could feel myself tightening up around him. I moaned loudly and he grabbed my hair, pulling my head back towards him. "I'm coming, Bella," he grunted.

I felt him pulsing inside me as he thrusted in and out, releasing himself into me as he did. "Edward!" I screamed, feeling my own body pulsing with my orgasm as he drove himself into me one last time.

We both collapsed onto the bed, and I turned myself around to face him. His eyes slowly opened, revealing fear. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I shook my head and smiled. "No. It felt incredible."

His hand rested on my stomach. "I was so rough. I didn't..." He trailed off when the baby started moving underneath his hand. "Oh, thank God," he breathed.

"Edward!" I cried in shock. "You're a doctor! You know you weren't going to hurt her."

He gave me a small smile. "That means absolutely nothing when it's your own child you're worrying about."

I could still feel her wiggling inside me. "I think we woke her up."

He looked down at where his hand rested on my stomach and watched it bounce lightly. He grinned. "I'll say."

I laughed softly and moved myself closer to him, laying my head on his chest. "Happy birthday, baby."

"Thank you. That was the best present I have _ever_ gotten in my entire life." I giggled. "I love you."

"I love you, too." My eyes drooped down and before I knew it I was in a deep, satisfied sleep.

**So I'm sure naming their baby Claire has been done before, but it just felt fitting to me. Anyways, I'm not sure if the lemon was good or not, lol....I've never written one like that before! I'm finishing up Chapter 26 now (hopefully today--dang writer's block!) and then will be wrapping it up in Chapter 27, before making an epilogue. I must say, I'm a little sad the story's ending! :(**


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks for the reviews! There's a lemon at the beginning...**

Chapter 25

Edward

I woke up and felt Bella's back pressed against my stomach. I shifted my body so that it was curved perfectly around her and laid my hand on her stomach, rubbing absently.

I felt her shift in my arms as she let out a contented sigh, snuggling closer to me. I knew she was awake. I ran my nose across her shoulder as I gently parted her legs and placed myself in between them.

Her chest shook silently with her laughter. "You think you're getting lucky this morning?" she asked sleepily.

I ran the hand that held up one of her legs down her thigh and stroked her core with my thumb. She was ready for me almost instantly. "Yes, I'm fairly sure I am," I said before moving myself at her entrance and pushing slowly inside her.

I could feel her body expand and stretch with my length, wrapping tightly around me as I began pumping in and out of her. "God, you're so tight, Bella," I murmured in her ear before I trailed kisses down her neck and across her shoulder.

"Edward," she moaned. "I wish I could face you."

We were running out of ways to make love. Her stomach seemed to always get in the way unless I was behind her. Not that I could complain, it put me face to face with that delectable ass of hers.

I moved one hand to her clit and flicked it with my thumb. I could feel her muscles tighten around me as I flicked it in time with my thrusts. "I have an idea. But first..."

I took it in between my fingers and gently tugged. She let out a guttural moan as her muscles rippled around my dick with her orgasm. I quickly pulled myself out from in between her legs and hopped off the bed, pulling her over to the edge as I did. I lined up her ass with the edge, holding the back of her thighs, and slammed myself into her.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, watching me intently.

Her breasts were bouncing in time with my thrusts, her hair splayed out wildly around her face. I smiled down at her. "This is the perfect view," I grunted. I watched as the blush spread across her cheeks and nearly came undone. "Fuck, Bella. No blushing. Otherwise I won't be able to finish you off again." I could feel her body tightening around me again.

She groaned and closed her eyes. The waves of her orgasm rushed through her, causing her to shudder in pleasure.

I couldn't hold off any longer. "Bella!" I shouted, feeling myself release into her as she came.

I collapsed on the bed beside her as we tried to catch our breath. She turned and smiled before kissing me on the nose and getting up. Well, trying to get up.

"Help?" she giggled.

"You want up?"

"I have to pee." _Always_.

"Okay." I put my hand in between her shoulder blades and helped push her up. She stood up and stretched. "Bella, I think you've dropped a little."

She looked down at her stomach and frowned. "Really?" She looked back over at me and grinned. "How much longer do you think it'll be?"

I chuckled softly. "There's no telling, love. You only have two more weeks until your due date. It could be anytime." I got off the bed and pulled her into my arms and kissed her gently. "I have to get ready for work," I said reluctantly.

She looked at me curiously for a moment. "Why the long face?"

"The new interns start today," I muttered.

She laughed. "You snob!"

"I'm not a snob, I just hate trying to get acquainted with new doctors. It takes weeks to get into a rhythm with them."

She was still laughing as she walked into the bathroom. She came back out in her robe and waddled across the room. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at her. She sat down on the bed and opened up her laptop, grinning widely. Bella had gotten an agent to look at her work and was now working with a publisher. She was almost through with the book she was working on--and wouldn't let me so much as glance at the screen, promising I'd get to read it when it was finished.

I shook my head and kissed the top of her head before heading towards the bathroom. There was no trying to talk to her when inspiration hit.

"I'm sorry!" she yelled, just before I shut the bathroom door.

"It's all right, love," I shouted back. "I'll talk to you when I get home!"

******************************

I got to the hospital and changed into my scrubs before checking in over a the nurses' station.

"Hey, Jessica." I said as I walked up.

"Hey, Dr. Cullen. How's Bella?" She had thankfully given up trying to go out with me when I came back and announced Bella and I were having a baby.

"She's good. I think the baby should be here pretty soon."

She smiled broadly at me. "That's great!"

I smiled back. "Yeah."

We heard Dr. Henderson talking and looked over in the direction he was coming from. He had eight interns walking behind him, looking around and taking notes, as he pointed out everything in the ER.

"And this is the famous Dr. Cullen," he said, gesturing to me as he walked up.

I ran my hand through my hair. Unfortunately, Carlisle's foundation was off and running and we were all the more famous for it. I had done numerous interviews since coming back home. I was proud of my father for starting such a successful organization, but I absolutely hated the media hype.

"Hello, Marcus."

He smiled politely at me before continuing. "Dr. Cullen is the head of the Trauma Department and will be your mentor. He will be assigning each of you a resident to work with during your time in the ER. If you choose to become a part of this department, Edward here will be your boss."

I had just received a promotion last month. I was almost positive it had mostly to do with the good reputation the hospital would gain by having one of the doctors who started the Cullen Foundation in charge of one of their departments. I wasn't going to complain, I only worked five days a week now. Never on-call, never a holiday. That was for everyone under me to have to do.

I looked around at the interns faces and stopped. _Shit._ There, smiling brightly at me, was the girl from the plane--I'd recognize her straight hair anywhere. Lauren Mallory, if I remembered correctly. _Well, this has the potential for disaster_, I thought wryly.

"Hello. I'll have your resident assignments posted in the on-call room by Friday. However, Dr. Henderson failed to mention that for the first few weeks of your internship, you will be under the direction of Dr. Thomas. I will be on vacation." I grinned. I couldn't help myself. I turned back to Dr. Henderson. "I'll be in my office if anyone needs me."

I left the main area of the ER and walked to my office. I sat down and started working on matching the interns with a resident. Each resident would get two. I had just finished when I heard a knock on the door.

"Dr. Cullen?" _Who is that?_

"Come in," I called as I finished saving the document I'd been working on.

I looked up from the computer to see Lauren standing in my office, smirking. _Fuck._ "Hello, Edward. It's nice to see you again."

_Can't say the same for you._ "Lauren, is it?" She nodded, smiling. "It's nice to see you as well. I didn't know your internship would be at my hospital."

"Neither did I until a few weeks ago, when I saw you had been named the head of the Trauma Department. Congratulations."

"Thanks." I didn't know what else to say. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost noon. Thankfully, I needed take my lunch soon.

"So you're going on vacation? So soon after your return? You've only been back for what, a little over four months?"

I nodded. "Yes. But it's not like I'm travelling anywhere. I'm just taking a few weeks off to spend time with my family."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh? Would your fiancée be part of this?"

_Not that this is any of your business..._ "Yes. We're expecting a baby in the next couple of weeks. I'll be taking some time off to help her with our daughter."

I had the pleasure of watching Lauren's eyes practically bug out of her head. "You're having a baby?" she asked in surprise.

"I am. My fiancée found out while I was away."

"Well...um, congratulations," she sputtered.

"Thank you." I looked back at the clock on my computer and stood up. "Well, it was very nice to see you again, Dr. Mallory. I need to take my lunch now. I have a meeting scheduled for one-thirty and need to be back in my office before then."

I started toward the door in hopes that she would follow but she didn't move an inch. I looked back at her curiously as she walked towards me. _Oh, fuck._

"Edward," she purred reaching out and touching my arm. "You are so unbelievably sexy."

I pulled my arm back and scowled. "Look, Lauren. I have to work with you. I would rather not request that your internship be transferred to another hospital, but I _will_ if necessary."

She laughed and took a step closer to me. "Oh, please." Before I knew what was happening she had her mouth on mine, tracing her tongue across my lips.

I pulled away and wiped my mouth. "Don't ever fucking do anything like that again," I spat.

She looked irritated. "Why not?"

"Because I'm engaged!" I shouted furiously.

"You left her, Edward! You can't honestly be happy," she said incredulously.

"I _am _happy_._ I left her to do charity work. It's not like we broke up," I said disgustedly. How was this happening?

"And now you're back and she's pregnant!" She laughed. "You're trapped. How could you be happy with this?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?! You don't know me--you know nothing about me except for a few small details you've read in a magazine somewhere!" I shook my head trying to calm down and lower my voice. "I am in love with Bella. There is nothing you could say or do to change that. I'm having a baby--a beautiful little girl. Nothing could make me happier than to have this baby with the woman I _chose_ to spend my life with." I took a deep breath. "I'm going to request that you be transferred to another hospital in Seattle." She opened her mouth to say something. "Don't say another word. If you walk out of this hospital and never come back I'll keep the reason as to _why_ you need to be transferred to myself." I paused. "I don't want to ruin your career before it even begins."

******************************

Bella

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. I stepped out of the shower and rubbed the top of my stomach. Claire kept kneeing me in my ribs. "I will be so glad when you get here."

I was so uncomfortable, I could barely stand it. I felt like I couldn't breathe. Some part of her little body constantly pressed on my tailbone, I felt like a fat cow--and now to make matters worse, I kept getting this tightness throughout my stomach. I didn't hurt, but I had felt it on and off all morning long--I could hardly concentrate on final chapter of the book I'd been working on. I'd decided it would probably be best to talk to my doctor fiancé.

I threw on a pair of maternity jeans and one of Edward's Harvard t-shirts and walked out the door. I hopped in my new Audi Q7 and breathed in the new car smell. I was a little irritated with Edward at first; I had picked out an Audi A3, which was half the cost, but of course--Edward went overboard, claiming it was the least he could do for the mother of his child. Oh, and something else about making it up to me for all the time he was gone. I quietly accepted it after that. I didn't want him to feel any more guilt than he already did.

I pulled into the parking lot and raced to Edward's office--well, wobbled, really; I felt like a Weeble Wobble--glaring at Tanya as I walked through the waiting area. Now that Edward was in charge of the Trauma Department, I no longer had to be announced, which was a good thing, seeing as though I wanted to rip Tanya's hair out every time I saw her.

I got to Edward's office and could hear Edward inside talking to a woman. The woman sounded so familiar. _Who is that?_ I knew that voice. I stood outside the door for a moment, trying to decide if I should listen in or not. I saw Jessica Stanley pass by me and gave her a polite wave before making up my mind. I stood closer to the door, trying to hear the conversation inside. I couldn't make out much. I opened the door quietly and looked in. _What the hell are you doing?_ It was completely unlike me to eavesdrop--especially on Edward. But something in me demanded I do it.

"So you're going on vacation? So soon after your return? You've only been back for what, a little over four months?"

I had to bite my lip to keep from gasping in shock. Lauren Mallory was standing in Edward's office, standing in front of his desk--talking to Edward like she'd known him for years.

I'd gone to high school with Lauren in Forks. She was the rudest, most impolite girl I'd ever met in my entire life. She seemed to take an immediate disliking to me from the moment she saw me. It took me months to understand that she was just a complete and utter bitch.

"Yes. But it's not like I'm travelling anywhere. I'm just taking a few weeks off to spend time with my family." He sounded annoyed.

"Oh? Would your fiancée be part of this?" _Did she know that I'm Edward's fiancée?_

He huffed out a breath. "Yes. We're expecting a baby in the next couple of weeks. I'll be taking some time off to help her with our daughter." _She must not know it's me. He hasn't said my name yet._

"You're having a baby?" she asked in shock.

"I am. My fiancée found out while I was away." His tone was firm, but I knew his voice well. I could hear the delight in it as he said this.

"Well...um, congratulations," she sputtered. I stifled a laugh.

"Thank you." He stopped for a moment. "Well, it was very nice to see you again, Dr. Mallory. I need to take my lunch now. I have a meeting scheduled for one-thirty and need to be back in my office before then." _Holy shit!_

I moved back away from the door so that it looked like I was just walking up. I heard movement inside his office, but no one came through the door. Curious, I looked back into his office again and felt my eyes go wide. She was standing right in front of him, looking at him as though she would fuck him right there.

"Edward." She reached out and touched his arm. "You are so unbelievably sexy." _No, no, no. This is _not_ happening._ I squeezed my eyes and wished for the hallucination to disappear. I opened my eyes and let out a mental scream--the image was still there.

Edward yanked his arm away from her grasp and frowned. "Look, Lauren. I have to work with you. I would rather not request that your internship be transferred to another hospital, but I _will_ if necessary." I smiled.

She laughed and took a step closer. _WHAT THE FUCK?!_ "Oh, please."

She quickly leaned in and kissed Edward. The rage that suddenly pounded through my body bubbled up to my lips. I started take a step forward but stopped when I saw Edward's reaction.

He broke away and wiped his mouth with the sleeve on his shirt, like she was contagious. _Hmm, she might be_. "Don't ever fucking do anything like that again," he said. He sounded furious.

She was clearly annoyed with his reaction. "Why not?" _Why not? Have you not listened to a word he said?_

"Because I'm engaged!" He was shouting. Edward never yelled.

"You left her, Edward! You can't honestly be happy." My heart plummeted with the reminder.

"I _am _happy. I left her to do charity work. It's not like we broke up." I could feel the tears in my eyes.

"And now you're back and she's pregnant!" She laughed. "You're trapped. How could you be happy with this?" _Oh, God. Is that how he felt? Trapped?_ A tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! You don't know me--you know nothing about me except for a few small details you've read in a magazine somewhere!" I could hear him breathing deeply. "I am in love with Bella. There is nothing you could say or do to change that. I'm having a baby--a beautiful little girl. Nothing could make me happier than to have this baby with the woman I _chose_ to spend my life with." My heart swelled with his admission. _God, you're an idiot_, I thought to myself. _Of course Edward is happy. How could you have ever doubted that?_ "I'm going to request that you be transferred to another hospital in Seattle. Don't say another word. If you walk out of this hospital and never come back I'll keep the reason as to _why_ you need to be transferred to myself." He paused. "I don't want to ruin your career before it even begins."

I took a deep breath and plastered a fake smile on my face before I opened the door. They both turned toward the door, their eyes widening as they saw me.

"Hi!" I said brightly.

"Bella! What are you doing here, love?" I could see the panic in his eyes.

"I thought I'd come and meet you for lunch," I said sweetly, trying to hide my disgust with Lauren.

He leaned down and kissed my cheek softly before running his hand down my stomach. "Are you all right?" I guessed my attempt and happiness was transparent.

"I'm fine." I turned back to Lauren before he could say anything else. "Lauren," I said coolly. "It's been a while."

Her gaze ran up and down my body and she sneered. "Bella." She looked at Edward smugly. She was going to try something, I could read it on her face. "I didn't know you knew Edward," she grinned at Edward.

"He's my fiancé," I said simply.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Edward asked shakily.

I laughed lightly. "Unfortunately." I looked up and met Edward's frightened gaze. "I went to high school with Lauren in Forks." I paused for a moment. "We don't get along very well, do we Lauren?" I looked at Lauren with my eyebrows raised, daring her to say something else.

She snickered. "You could say that." She looked back at Edward. "Did you tell your _fiancée_ here that we knew one another?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "I met her on the plane ride from Houston in April." He looked at me meaningfully. I knew what he was saying. "I haven't seen her since. Dr. Mallory is one of our new interns I was talking to you about this morning."

Understanding ran through my eyes. "Oh, really?" He nodded.

"You know Bella," Lauren said, bringing the attention back to her. "You're fiancé is an excellent kisser."

God, she was fortunate I was pregnant. "Yes, he is. But I'm curious--how would you know that?" I asked acidly.

"Oh, we kissed just before you came in, Bella," she said smiling.

"Lauren, I did not kiss you." Edward turned to me, his eyes pleading. "Bella, I swear to you-" I cut him off with my hand.

"I find that very hard to believe, considering I saw the whole thing. He wiped his mouth off after he pulled away from you." I shook my head, my brows furrowing. "Didn't seem like he was enjoying it too much." I grabbed Edward's hand. "You should probably take his advice and leave without another word so that he doesn't have to explain why he's requesting you be transferred."

She stood there with her mouth open as if she was about to say something before she snapped it shut. She glared at me for a minute and then stomped out of Edward's office.

I felt all the air whoosh out of my lungs and I walked to one of the chairs and collapsed, holding my head in my hands.

First, Tanya. Now, Lauren.

"Bella? Love? Are you all right?" he asked timidly.

"No," I said my voice thick with tears. "How does this keep happening to us?"

"I don't know." He bent down and pulled my hands away from my face. "You know, I never had this problem until I met you, " he smirked.

"Oh, yeah. It's all my fault you're too gorgeous for your own good," I muttered sarcastically. I felt a sharp pain spread out through my stomach. I pulled in a breath between my teeth. "Ow," I whimpered.

"Bella? What's the matter?" he asked anxiously.

"Nothing. It's nothing." I looked up and smiled. "I'm fine."

He looked me over for a moment and then glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm so sorry about that," he said guiltily.

"Why? It's not your fault Lauren's a bitch."

His face dropped in shock. "You're not mad at me?"

I laughed. "What for? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, but I..." He looked at me and shook his head. "You always surprise me. I love you," he said smiling widely.

"I love you."

Edward silently wrapped his arms around me. We sat like that for a few moments, just enjoying each other's presence.

Edward was the first to break the silence. "So, you wanted to meet me for lunch?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

I nodded. "Well, that was the plan, anyway."

"Where would you like to go?"

I bit my lip. I honestly didn't know. "Wow," I breathed. "I have no idea!" I exclaimed in shock.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Really. Ow!" The pain raced through my abdomen again, only this time if felt like something was squeezing my insides.

"Bella," he said sternly. He looked at the clock again. "It's been three minutes since the last time you said 'Ow'."

"So?"

"So, maybe you're having contractions?" He looked at me like this was obvious.

"No, I don't think so. I've felt a little funny all morning, but I haven't been in pain." I shrugged.

"What do you mean 'funny'?" he asked, annoyed.

"Well..." I trailed off. I didn't know how to make him not overreact. He was so prone to overreaction. "My stomach has been tight on and off all day. But it doesn't hurt." I didn't know how to describe it.

"Tight?" He shook his head, clearly aggrivated. "Jesus, Bella! Why didn't you come in right away?" he cried in frustration.

"Why should I?" I asked in surprise.

"Because you're in labor!" he exclaimed, exasperated.

I scoffed. "No, I'm not."

"Let me examine you." The look on his face said 'Prove it'.

I shook my head. "No. I'm not in labor so there's no need for you to."

He went over and shut the door, locking it. "Bella. Take off your pants. Now."

In any other circumstances, this would have turned me on. "Edward," I whined. "I'm not in labor."

"Then you'll have no problem letting me look at you." He cocked his eyebrow.

"Fine," I grumbled, pulling my pants and underwear down.

"Sit down and put one foot up on the chair." I did as instructed. "Look at me," he demanded.

I did, only to see his face was set in stone. I hardly recognized him. His beautiful green eyes were not swirling with the love I'd grown used to seeing in them. They were hard; flat. Maybe Lauren's earlier words affected him. Maybe he felt trapped. I gritted my teeth against the pain that threatened to break my heart apart.

"Why?" I managed to choke out. I felt his fingers move inside me as he pushed down on my stomach. "Ow, shit!" That was nothing like his usual gentle touch. His long fingers hurt more than I'd ever expected.

"That's why," he said, his voice tight. "Bella, how long as this been going on?" he asked as he removed his hand from in between my thighs.

"I don't know. Few hours, I guess," I said shrugging.

He shook his head. "Let's go. You're already four centimeters dilated."

"Are you serious?" I asked in shock.

"Yes! Let's go!" he shouted.

I stood there frozen in place as he went to the door. _Edward yelled at me?_ "I'm sorry," I mumbled as the tears threatened to fill my eyes. I realized I still had no pants on.

I turned away from Edward and put my underwear on, discreetly wiping the snot off my nose, before I quickly put on my jeans. I took a deep breath and turned around, grabbing my purse and watching the floor as I walked to the door.

Edward was just standing at the door staring into space. I grabbed the door handle and started to turn it, expecting Edward to follow. I turned around to see he hadn't moved a muscle--he could have been carved in stone.

I took a deep, shaky breath. My heart was thudding loudly and I could feel the nerves flutter in my chest. My palms were sweating--I was freaking out. I was about to have a baby. I didn't know what I was doing. Anything from this moment on involving Claire would be new, uncharted waters for me. And to make matters worse, the man who promised to be by my side--the man who ran to the grocery store in the middle of the night because I needed ice cream at that exact moment and went to every single Lamaze class with me--is turning out to be absolutely no help whatsoever.

"Bella?" His eyes never left the spot on the wall he was staring at.

"What?" I snapped.

He whipped his head around and looked at me with the most unfathomable expression. "I'm so sorry," he said rushing over to me.

He grabbed my face and kissed me quickly. "I have no idea why I just acted that way toward you. Here you are--in labor--about to bring my child into the world and I just freeze you out. I was angry that you'd waited this long to say something and I don't know why. It's not like you could have known, you've never experienced this before." I couldn't speak. I had no words yet. "I'm just...just...so scared," he breathed fervently.

"You're scared?" This was completely unexpected.

He nodded. "The mechanics of having a baby don't bother me one bit. But all these thoughts and feelings that are running through me scare me to death."

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I cupped his face in my hand.

He leaned into my hand and closed his eyes, exhaling loudly. "What if something happens to you? To Claire? What if I'm a bad father?" His voice broke.

I felt the tears that had threatened my eyes for so long finally fall down my face. "Edward. We will be fine. Everything will be fine. We'll be a family and you will be the most incredible father anyone could ever imagine. Do you know how lucky our daughter is that _you_ are her father? There won't be a thing this little girl could ever want or need that her daddy wouldn't get for her. There's nothing you wouldn't do for her. So don't be afraid. I'm not."

His eyes snapped open and he looked at me closely. "You're not?"

I laughed as he wiped the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs. "Oh, believe me I was. I was freaking out just a minute ago. I don't know any of this, but what I've read in a book or learned in that stupid Lamaze class--which I don't think is going to help by the way. I have no idea what I'm doing. None at all.

"All these questions keep running through my mind. This is going to hurt--I understand that--but how much? Will I be a good parent? What if I drop the baby on her head one night because I'm so exhausted I can barely hold myself up? What if- Ow!" The pain of another contraction interrupted me. I took a deep breath and continued. "There are all these _what ifs_! I thought for a moment there I was going to have to figure this out on my own...that maybe you'd changed your mind-"

"Never."

I gave him a small smile. "I see that now. Don't you get it? With you by my side, I'm not scared. I could never be afraid of anything as long as I have you."

"Bella. I love you." He smiled and I saw his green eyes were swirling with emotion again as he looked at me.

"I love you." I felt something warm trickle down my leg. "Edward?" I asked, my eyes wide with fear.

He took in my expression. "What is it, love?" he asked anxiously.

"I think my water just broke."

He smiled and leaned down and kissed me softly. "Let's go have a baby."

**This chapter gave me a bit of an issue...it's not as good as I wanted it to be. I added the lemon in at the beginning because I remembered my Dr. always telling me that sex was a good way to induce labor ;)**

**I can probably squeeze a couple extra chapters in this story. Right now, the story will end at chapter 27 (as I've mentioned before) and will include the wedding and a little bit of the honeymoon. Then there's an epilogue that fast forwards five years into the future. I'm thinking I can probably include bachelor/ette parties and divide the wedding and honeymoon into two chapters instead of one--making the story have a total of 29, possibly 30 chapters. I've had a few ideas in the last couple of days...**

**If you like this idea, let me know! Otherwise, I'll just leave it as is--I have a new story in my head that I need to get down soon, it's beginning to interfere with this one!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks for the reviews! **

* * *

Chapter 26

**Bella**

Edward and I made our way to the maternity ward and checked in. The nurse led us to my room and proceeded to give me multiple forms to fill out and hooked me up to a fetal monitor before getting everything ready to start an IV.

"Oh, God," I whimpered. I could feel myself getting sick.

"Shh, it's fine. It will be over before you know it." I looked over at Edward who was standing on the other side of the bed, watching anxiously.

The roaring in my head grew stronger, and I could barely focus on what was going on around me.

"Bella?"

"Is she all right?" the nurse asked Edward.

"She's just squeamish." He grabbed my free hand. "Bella? Love? Are you going to get sick?"

I nodded. It was all I could do. I could feel the nurse prepping my arm. I needed some sort of distraction. "Distract me, please," I breathed.

I squeezed my eyes shut and heard Edward chuckle lightly. "You know, this reminds me very much of the first time I met you."

"Oh," I groaned. "Don't remind me. I was so embarrassed."

"Why? Lots of people are squeamish." He rubbed my hand soothingly.

"I know. But not many people practically pass out the first time they meet their future husband." I knew the distraction was working because I could feel my cheeks fill with color.

He laughed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. I was just remembering how adorable I thought you being squeamish was."

"You thought it was cute?" I opened my eyes and looked at him.

He smiled widely. "Yes. I also remember being exceptionally relieved to find you like that."

"What?" I felt the prick of the needle and winced.

He quickly glanced over at the nurse before continuing. "After I told Jessica to get everything ready to stitch up your hand, I ran to the bathroom to try to get a handle on my feelings." He ran his free hand through his hair and smirked. "I suppose even though I didn't realize it then, I was already in love with you."

He smiled warmly at me. "So I came out of the bathroom and saw Jessica frantically running out of the exam room you were in and I pretty much had an anxiety attack right then and there." He chuckled. "The thought of anything happening to you, even after only knowing you for only a few minutes, was almost too much for me to handle. I was so relieved to see you were merely squeamish." He looked at me for a moment, still smiling. "Why were you embarrassed, love?"

"I didn't want you to think I was an idiot." His brows knit. "I was extremely nervous. I wanted you to like me," I said, quietly.

He shook his head. "I don't think there was anything you could have done that day to stop me from wanting to see you again. That's why I asked you to come back in the first place. I couldn't bear the thought of never seeing you again."

I smiled broadly. "Really?"

He laughed. "Yes. Really. Why else would I have invited you back to the hospital to remove your stitches?"

I blushed again. "I thought you were just being polite."

I sucked in a breath and gritted my teeth against the pain of the contraction that radiated through my stomach. I wiggled my toes and tried to focus on breathing in and out slowly. Lamaze had been thrown out the window at this point; all I wanted was an epidural.

Edward's face was a mask of horror as he watched me. I squeezed his hand tightly and waited for the contraction to die down. They'd gotten longer and stronger each time since my water broke. I wasn't sure I could take much more.

He looked at the nurse who was typing my information into the computer. "She's dilated enough for an epidural. And she's made it perfectly clear she wants one. So where the hell is the anesthesiologist?" he asked harshly.

"Edward," I chastised through my teeth.

"It's all right." The nurse smiled at me. "I've paged him and he's on his way. There were a few people in front of Miss Swan though, so it could take a while."

Eventually the contraction eased up, and my whole body relaxed in response.

Edward took in my expression and looked at the monitor. "It's dying down," he muttered, a frown on his face.

"It's okay, you know."

He looked at me with a confused expression on his face. "How is something that gives you pain okay?"

"Well, how else did you expect for her to get here?" I asked, laughing.

"That doesn't make it okay." He was scowling.

I squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'll be fine." I took a deep breath. "You should probably call everyone, you know."

He nodded and pulled out his phone. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on relaxing. I remembered hearing somewhere that labor progressed faster if you stayed calm and relaxed. I was willing to try anything to get this over with.

I could vaguely hear Edward talking on his cell phone to our family and friends but was suddenly too exhausted to concentrate on his conversations.

I felt my abdomen tighten up again and braced myself for another contraction. "Ugh!" I groaned as the pain hit me.

Edward rubbed his hand across my stomach as he talked to my father. "She's having another contraction, Chief Swan. I should go."

He waited a moment before answering. "I'll see you in a few hours then," he said before he quickly shut the phone.

He watched me anxiously. "Is there anything at all I can do for you, love?"

I shook my head and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I feel so useless!" he yelled in frustration.

"You're not being useless," I breathed. "I couldn't do this without you." The contraction was finally dying down.

"Yes, you could. Bella, you're doing so wonderful."

I scoffed. "Yeah."

"No, really. Do you know how many women come through the ER in labor screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs?" He chuckled. "You're doing amazing."

I blushed. "Thanks."

"So listen." He hesitated. "We didn't get to talk about the Lauren thing."

"There's nothing to talk about." I shrugged.

"Bella. I don't want this to cause a problem in the future. I want it to be perfectly clear that I met her on the plane ride from Houston when I was on my way home. I talked to her a bit, found out she was getting ready to start her internship, and that she knew who my father was. I didn't say anything to you because I never thought I'd see her again. I don't want you to think that I was hiding something from you."

He looked so worried, I couldn't help but laugh. "Edward. I didn't think you were hiding anything from me."

He looked me over and nodded his head. He knew I wasn't lying. I could never lie to him convincingly.

"All right. You're not angry?"

"Not at you." I was furious with Lauren. "I just wish I knew why no matter where you are or who you're with, you always seem to have girls hitting on you. I mean, I know you're gorgeous and all, but my God! Don't these girls have any self-respect?"

He laughed. "I have a theory about that. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure it has something to do with you." He smirked.

I looked at him blankly. "How?"

"I was always so closed off to people before I met you. My whole life was focused on one thing--becoming a great doctor. I met you and my life became about something else--you. And now Claire. I can only assume that because you've made me so happy, women are no longer afraid to ask me out or express interest." He shrugged. "Like I said, it's just a theory. I can think of a way that will probably help keep it from happening as frequently, though."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" I wasn't sure about his theory, though it did make a little sense.

"You putting a ring on my finger." He grinned crookedly at me.

I laughed. "I'm sure that will make it worse."

His eyebrows shot up. "How's that?"

"Because. Women are always attracted to unavailable men. I put that ring on your finger and it's just going to make things worse." I sat there, pretending to think for a moment. "You know, maybe I should just save myself the drama and cancel the wedding."

"I don't think so. You _will_ marry me, Isabella." His eyes narrowed playfully at me.

I grinned. "No, I don't think so."

He leaned over and kissed me passionately. "Yes, you will. I want to world to know you're mine."

"The world already knows, Edward." I could feel another contraction coming on.

He opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it as soon as he saw my expression. "Another one?" he asked softly.

I nodded. We sat there quietly as I battled with the pain that threatened to squeeze my organs until they turned to jelly.

Edward concentrated on the monitor, watching the intensity of the contraction. When it finally started to ease up, he let out his breath in a gush. "Better?"

"Yeah." I was breathing heavily.

The door opened and Dr. Brown came in with another doctor with graying brown hair and dark brown eyes, whom I assumed was the anesthesiologist.

"Hi, Bella! Edward! I see she's coming a bit early!" Dr. Brown exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes. Bella came in to meet me for lunch today and was already in labor," Edward said, in full doctor mode. "She complained of having tightness in her abdomen on and off all morning and had her first painful contraction while we were discussing where to eat for lunch. I examined her and found she was already four centimeters dilated. Shortly after I examined her, her water broke." He looked at his watch. "That was over two hours ago."

Dr. Brown smiled warmly at Edward. "You have no idea how nice it is to have a patient with a doctor as their partner." Edward nodded. "This is Dr. Michel, the anesthesiologist. He'll be giving Bella her epidural as soon as I'm finished with my examination."

I smiled gratefully. "Thank God."

Dr. Brown came over to the bed and laughed. "I'll try to make it quick, I promise."

I nodded my head and shifted myself on the bed. Edward shifted nervously next to me. "It's okay," I said laughing. I felt like that was all I was saying to him today.

He only nodded in acknowledgement and kept his eyes locked on Dr. Brown. She smiled up at him after she finished examining me.

"She's five centimeters, fifty percent effaced. The baby's at zero station." Edward exhaled in relief. "She's progressing smoothly. No need to worry so, Dr. Cullen."

He looked a little embarrassed. "I can't help it," he muttered.

She smiled and looked down at me. "I'll be back in an hour to examine you. Dr. Michel looks to be all set up for you."

I watched Dr. Brown walk out of the room and took a deep breath. _I can do this. It's just a needle. No need to panic._ I could feel the familiar waves of nausea at the thought of the anesthesiologist sticking the needle in my back.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"I'm here, love. It'll be all right. I promise."

He walked around the bed to the opposite side that Dr. Michel was at and took my hands in his before kissing me gently.

"Okay, Miss Swan? I'm going to need you to sit at the edge of the bed with your legs hanging off the side."

I looked at Edward as I positioned myself on the side of the bed. I knew my eyes were wide with fear, but I couldn't seem to help it. I was terrified.

Edward cupped my face in his hands and nuzzled my nose with his. "Shh," he whispered. "There's nothing to be afraid of." He began humming my lullaby.

"It's been so long since I heard that," I said smiling.

"I know. We've been so busy I haven't played much lately." He continued to hum my lullaby from where he broke off.

"I'm going to give you a local anesthetic before I give you the epidural," Dr. Michel said from behind me.

I nodded my head and took a breath as he wiped something cold on my lower back. I focused on listening to Edward's beautiful voice as I felt a needle prick my skin, sending a stinging sensation around my spine.

"All right. Now, Dr. Cullen? I'm going to need you to hold her head down and keep her still so that she doesn't get a headache." Edward nodded as I tucked my chin into my chest. I felt his hands on the nape of my neck, holding me still. "I'm going to start now. Miss Swan? Please be very still."

"Okay," I breathed.

I listened to Edward hum my lullaby and realized that it wasn't the same familiar tune I was used to hearing.

"What is that?" I whispered.

"I thought of it a few days ago. Do you like it?" he whispered back.

"Yes. It's beautiful." There was a strange popping sensation in my spine.

"It's Claire's," he stated softly before continuing to hum in my ear.

I listened to the beautiful melody and felt my eyes fill with tears. He had written a song for our daughter. My tears slowly trickled down my face as I realized just how lucky I was to have found him.

"I'm finished. You should start feeling the medicine take effect soon."

I lifted my head up and quickly wiped away my tears while Edward watched me curiously.

I felt the heat from the epidural spread throughout my legs just as another contraction hit. "Edward," I gasped, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly.

I rested my head on his shoulder as he rubbed my upper back soothingly with his free hand. "I'm so sorry."

"Hush," I grunted. "Not your fault."

He laughed. "Unless there's something you're not telling me, I'm fairly certain this is my fault you're in position."

The contraction was dying down. "You're so funny," I muttered sarcastically.

"I know." He smirked again. He pushed a stray lock of hair out of my eyes. "What were you crying about a minute ago? Did the epidural hurt?"

"No. It was just uncomfortable." I paused, feeling the familiar heat in my cheeks. "I was just thinking about how lucky I was to have found you."

He smiled and kissed my forehead. "No, I'm the lucky one, Bella." He helped position me back into the bed. "Comfortable?"

"I can't tell." The epidural was working. "I can't feel my legs," I said, laughing.

"I thought that was the point." He smiled.

"I guess it is," I said with a yawn.

"Tired?"

I was exhausted. "Yeah."

He nodded. "You should get some rest while you can. I'm going to go out in the hall and call my parents and Emmett. I haven't had a chance to yet."

"Okay," I said, sleepily.

He ran his hand absently across my stomach. "I'm going to miss this," he said quietly.

"What?"

"I'm going to miss this." He pressed his hand gently against my stomach. "Don't get me wrong, I can't wait for Claire to get here. But I love seeing you like this. Seeing my child grow inside of you." He kissed me tenderly, tracing his tongue across my lips before pulling back. "Sorry. I'm getting all sentimental again," he said with a wink.

"I like it." I looked at him and grinned.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you, Edward." I felt my eyes getting heavier and closed them.

"I'll be just outside if you need me, love."

* * *

**Edward**

I slipped quietly out into the hallway and dialed my parents' home number. Esme answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Mom?" I asked eagerly.

"Edward! What's going on? Is it the baby?"

I laughed. "Everything's fine. I just thought I'd let you know that you should probably make flight arrangements for you and Dad if you want to meet your granddaughter."

"Oh, my God! Bella's in labor? How's she doing?" She was squealing in my ear. It was almost as bad as talking to Ali.

"Yes. She went into labor this morning but didn't realize it until this afternoon. She's already five centimeters dilated, so today will most likely be Claire's birthday." I was grinning from ear to ear with the thought of August twenty-fourth being my daughter's birthday. "She's doing great. She just had an epidural and is now sleeping while she gets the chance."

"Okay. I've got to call your father at the hospital and make flight arrangements. I need to pack and get everything in order here at the ho-"

I cut her off. "Mom. Calm down. Bella will be in the hospital for two days. There's plenty of time to see her." I laughed at my mother's enthusiasm.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so excited! This is my first grandchild, you know."

"I know. Listen, I've got to call Emmett and tell him. I'll have Rosie call you after I've talked to them and you can discuss flights with her."

"All right. You need to hurry up and get back in there with her, Edward," she scolded.

"I know. But I can't do that if I'm still on the phone with you," I teased.

"Oh, right. I'll call you later with our flight details." She paused. "Edward?"

I shook my head. At this rate, Claire was going to be born before I got off the phone with my mother.

"Yes, Mom?" I asked, laughing.

"Congratulations, baby."

I grinned. "Thanks. I love you. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. I love you, too. Bye."

I quickly hung up and dialed Emmett's number. The phone seemed to ring endlessly on the other end before going to voice mail. I hit the end button before I redialed. It rang before going to voice mail again. I redialed. I was going to keep calling him until he answered.

"Pick up, damn it," I muttered under my breath.

"Eddie! What's going on you persistent little ass?"

"Jesus, Em. What the hell were you doing?" I was dying to tell him.

"Talking to Rosie. What's so important?"

I chuckled. "Well, honestly, now I don't know if I want you here or not since I wasn't important enough for you to at least click over and tell me to hang on. I mean, I distinctly remember telling you that you needed to answer all my calls from now on until Claire got here."

I waited, grinning to myself, while he processed my hint. "Hold up. Are you telling me that Bella's in labor?"

My grin widened. "Yep. That's what I'm telling you."

"Holy shit! I'm sorry I didn't pick up at first! Damn, dude! How long have we got to get there?"

I laughed. "Well, she's been in labor since this morning, so I don't think you guys will get here before Claire does."

"What the fuck? Bella's been in labor all this time and you're just now telling me!" He was pissed.

"Well, she didn't realize she was in labor until a couple of hours ago and we've been getting settled in. She just had an epidural so this is the first chance I've had to call you. Chill out, man."

"Sorry." I could hear him take a deep breath over the phone. "We just really wanted to be there."

"I know. Look, I need to get back in there. Have Rosie call Mom so they can figure out which flight they want to take. I'll call you when she gets here."

"All right, man. Sounds good. Talk to you then, Eddie." He laughed.

I shook my head. "Later."

I shut my phone and quietly walked back into Bella's room. She was sleeping soundly with her hand resting on her stomach. I sat down next to the bed and listened to my daughter's heartbeat through the monitor. In a matter of hours, I was going to be a father.

* * *

Claire Isabella Cullen was born just over five hours later at 8:36 pm, weighing in at 6 lbs 11 oz. She had a full head of curly bronze hair and her big, beautiful eyes were dark in color. Soon they would be exactly like Bella's. She was the most incredible thing I'd ever laid eyes on. As I held her in my arms and looked down at her sleeping face, the feelings that pulsed through me were unlike anything I had ever felt before. Since finding out that she was coming, there had never been a moment that I didn't love her--didn't want her--but seeing her for the first time and holding her in my arms gave me such joy, it was almost overwhelming. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and quickly brushed it away. I was going to have to get a hold of myself.

"You're crying again," Bella said sleepily, laughing quietly at me. I was practically sobbing when I heard Claire's cry for the first time.

"Yeah." I smiled at her sheepishly. "You're awake. How did you sleep?"

"Like a rock," she laughed, shaking her head. "I've never been so exhausted in my whole life."

I grinned. "Well, having a baby will do that to you. Speaking of which, how are you feeling?"

"A little sore." She started to sit up and winced. She finally managed to adjust herself and smiled at me. "Can I have her, Daddy?"

I wasn't sure I was ready to give her up. "Sure," I said reluctantly.

Bella laughed as I put Claire in her arms. "She looks just like you," she said happily.

"That she does. Only with your beautiful eyes." I said, grinning from ear to ear. "Do you need some more pain medicine?"

"No, I'm all right.

I looked at her carefully. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's not too bad right now."

"Good," I gave her a mischievous grin. "Because I'd like to do this again as soon as possible."

"Are you crazy?" she asked, shocked.

"Nope. Just extremely happy." I looked at her, trying to find out how she felt about another baby. I couldn't decide. "What do you think?"

"I think we should wait and see how our lives are with one before we add another into the mix." She was going to argue. Typical.

"You don't want to have any more?" I asked, dropping my face into a false frown. "We make beautiful babies together, Bella." I was going to get my way.

She looked at Claire. "Yes, we do," she said wistfully.

"So we should have another one."

"Don't you think we should wait three or four years?" I could see her wavering as she looked at our daughter sleeping in her arms.

"No. Bella, I'm thirty-one. I want to have all of our children here before I'm forty. That means three or four years is too long." I suddenly wanted a house full of little Claires.

Her eyes were wide with fear. "How many kids are you expecting us to have, Edward?"

"We have four other bedrooms to fill. Do the math." I shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

"Five!" she shouted. She shook her head. "No. Uh-uh. You have lost your mind. There is no way I'm doing this another four times."

She had a point. She was the one doing it. "Well, then, how many times would you be willing to do it, love?"

"One more," she said firmly.

"No. Three more."

"Absolutely not!" she cried.

"Two more." I decided to pull out the big guns. "Please?" I asked, looking into her eyes and smiling at her.

She melted on the spot. I had no idea what it was exactly about me doing that, but I got my way each and every time.

"Fine," she huffed. "We'll have two more." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I cannot believe I just let you talk me in to having three kids. How on earth are we going to be able to handle them all?"

_Four, actually,_ I amended in my head but she didn't need to know my plans yet. I'd find a way to convince her later down the road that we would in fact need that fourth little Cullen running around.

"It'll be easy, Bella. They'll all be perfect little angels, like their mother."

She rolled her eyes. Claire began fussing, crying her beautiful little tea kettle cry. "She's probably hungry," Bella muttered.

I looked at my daughter and smiled. Claire was already so beautiful, I knew I'd have to have Charlie teach me to use a gun--preferably a rifle--to keep the boys away. I pushed the thought out of my mind. I could worry with that later.

"When does everyone's flights arrive?"

I carefully sat down on the bed beside her. "Renee and Phil will be here around noon and my family should be here around two." I paused. "You should probably get some rest before Ali, Jasper, and Seth get here. You know they'll be bouncing around like the Energizer bunny on crack."

She laughed. "I'm sure they will. I'll lay down as soon as she's finished eating."

"You should eat as well," I said frowning. She didn't get to order anything for breakfast--she was a little busy when the menus were brought around last night.

She smiled at me. "And what do you want me to eat?"

"I'll run down to the cafeteria and get you something," I answered, leaning down and kissing her forehead.

"Thanks." She smiled ruefully. "I'm starving."

"Of course you are."


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks for the reviews!! Gotta love babies! This chapter is just a bit of filler--Edward and Bella dealing with a newborn, that sort of thing. I'm thinking the next chapter will be romantic...and lemony. **

Chapter 27

Bella

The two days in the hospital were a blur of visitors and camera flashes. Claire was passed like a football between everyone in our family. Edward beamed proudly as he showed off our new little girl to everyone.

Time seemed to pass me by. Between sleeping, feedings, visitors, and trying to find time to eat myself, I barely had time to register what was happening. Before I knew it, we were checking out of the hospital and on our way home.

I looked at the wheelchair and frowned. I could walk just fine. I didn't need a wheelchair. Sure I was sore, but not sore enough to need to be wheeled out to my Audi.

Edward took in my expression and laughed, jostling Claire in his arms as he did. "Oh, Bella. Just sit down," he said, grinning.

"I look ridiculous." I reluctantly sat down in the chair.

"It's hospital policy, love." He put Claire in my arms and kissed my hair before he grabbed my bag. The nurse started to wheel me out and Edward pushed the cart behind us full of flowers.

We piled everything into the back of the Audi, showed the nurse we were perfectly capable of buckling Claire into a car seat, and started the drive back to our house. Our entire family would be waiting for us to arrive--I just knew it. I'd been with Edward for nearly a year, and still, my 'No Surprise' policy was consistently ignored.

Sure enough, we pulled into the circular drive and to see Seth's truck, Jasper's SUV, Charlie's car, and two unfamiliar cars that I assumed were rented by Renee and Carlisle.

I groaned. "Edward!"

He chuckled lightly. "Like I could stop them. Our families wanted to spend time with us one last time before they go back home and you know Ali. Any excuse for a party." He cringed at his admission and ran his hand through his hair, looking at me sheepishly. "Sorry."

My eyes were wide. "A party?!" He nodded. "And you knew about it?!" He nodded again and I leaned my head against the window, closing my eyes. I could feel the tears build up. I knew it was irrational, but I couldn't seem to stop them.

"Bella? Are you all right, love?" I felt Edward's hand brush my cheek.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to be at home--just you, me, and Claire." I shook my head. "I don't know why I'm crying. It's not really that big of a deal."

"You know the doctor said your hormones would be all over the place for the next few weeks." He looked back at the house. "Would you like me to ask them to leave?"

I was horrified at myself. "No! Of course not! Let's go." I looked over at Edward and saw that he hadn't moved. "No, really. Come on."

I started to open my door but stopped when I heard Edward's door slam behind him. He was practically running to my side of the car. He opened the door and grinned. I couldn't help but laugh, which was not entirely comfortable.

"What was that all about?" I said, in between giggles.

"You are not going to try to get out of this car by yourself. I was hurrying over so that I could help you." He grinned his crooked smile at me.

"I could do it myself. I promise." I swung my legs out of the car and started to pull myself out of the seat, collapsing back down immediately. "Or maybe not."

He smirked. "Sore?"

"Just a little."

He helped me out of the car and then pulled Claire's carrier into his arms. He led me to the front door and wrapped his arm around me.

"Remember, act surprised," he whispered in my ear.

I nodded and we walked into the house. Alice had decorated the foyer in pink, purple, and white--there were so many flowers and balloons I could barely see the khaki color of the walls. There was a banner stretched across the staircase that said 'Welcome Home Claire'. I shook my head and laughed. It was just like Alice to take things to the extreme.

The entire family jumped out of the various doorways and yelled "Surprise!"

I tried to put on my best surprised look. "Wow! Hi! I thought you all went home already," I said brightly.

Alice looked at me and frowned before turning to Edward. "You told her!"

"I'm sorry, Ali." He looked at me lovingly before turning back to Alice. "If you knew the reason why, you wouldn't be angry right now."

She looked at the two of us and huffed. "Fine, whatever. She's not throwing a fit, so I guess it worked out." She came up and gave me a hug. "Okay, everyone get your Bella hugs and then head into the living room. I have lots of things planned!" She bounded off into the living room before anyone had a chance to argue.

Everyone cooed at Claire the entire afternoon. I tried to deflect some of the attention away from the two of us by giving Rosalie the outfit I'd bought for my nephew last week. Rose squealed in delight when she pulled out the little Bears onesie to put on their son after he arrived.

We played games, ate cake, and shared stories about our childhood, imagining all the funny things Claire would wind up doing before it was all over. Everyone ended up giving Claire and I one last gift before they left, and I tried to graciously accept them. After all, Claire was the first grandchild in both of our families--it was only natural that they'd want to spoil her.

Finally, it was time for everyone to leave us--catching evening flights or driving home. I put Claire in the new Moses basket that Esme had bought her before Edward and I walked everyone to the front door.

Rose was the first to walk over and give me a hug. "Again, congratulations, Bella," she said warmly.

"I suppose I should say the same to you," I smirked. It was the first time I'd seen her since she and Emmett found out they were having a boy. I looked down at her rounded stomach and smiled. There was no way she was going to make it until December--that child was going to be the size of his father.

She laughed. "He kicks like crazy! He may be a punter," she said, winking at Emmett.

Emmett came over to me next and looked at me with a torn expression on his face.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, laughing.

He grinned sheepishly at me. "I honestly have no idea how to hug you without hurting you."

"Oh, shut it, Em. I'm not breakable," I teased before pulling him to me and giving him a hug. Football season was starting soon and I wouldn't be able to see him much until the wedding. "I'm going to miss you guys," I whispered in his ear.

"Fuck, Bells. You're going to make me cry," he muttered, before pulling away.

Carlisle and Esme were next to give Edward and me their goodbyes.

"Promise me you'll bring my granddaughter out to visit us soon," Esme scolded, looking between Edward and I.

"I promise, Mom." Edward was grinning again. The smile seemed to be fixed to his face.

"We'll try to make it out in a couple of months, maybe for Halloween?" I suggested.

"Oh, that would be wonderful, Bella!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait to see what cute little outfit you dress her up in!"

Renee and Phil gave me their goodbyes, promising to be here for Thanksgiving, so that I didn't have to travel too much with Claire while she was so young.

After they left, Charlie came over and took my face in his hands. "She sure is pretty, Bells."

I felt my eyes tear up and I nodded. "Thanks, Dad."

He looked over at Edward before pulling him into an awkward hug. "Take care of them, Edward."

"Of course, Chief Swan," Edward replied, the surprise of Charlie's hug evident in his voice.

Charlie turned back to me and smiled. "I expect you to bring that little girl to me as soon as possible, Bella."

I smiled widely. "I think I can do that. How's in a couple of weeks sound?"

"Sounds good. Just give me a call before you come." I nodded and watched him walk to the car.

Edward smiled at me as he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You are absolutely perfect, Isabella." I looked at him and blushed in response, making him bite his lip and groan. "How am I going to keep my hands off you for the next six weeks?"

I giggled. "She said no sex, not no touching," I reminded him.

His eyes widened before the grin spread across his face. "I suppose you're right."

I turned back towards the house expecting to see Alice, Jasper, and Seth but they were nowhere to be found.

"Where did those three go?" I asked to myself as I walked back into the living room.

I stepped into the living room and felt my face light up at the scene before me. Alice was sitting on the couch holding Claire in her arms with Jasper and Seth sitting beside her, cooing at Claire.

"Where's your camera," I whispered to Edward, unable to take my eyes off the scene before me.

"Right here," he whispered back, pulling it out of his pocket.

He snapped a picture, causing all three of them to look up at us.

"Hey," Seth said sheepishly. "We didn't know how much longer you'd be."

"I see that," Edward smirked.

We walked over to them and I pulled Claire out of Alice's reluctant grasp.

"Now, we love you three very much, but it's time for you to go," Edward said, smiling.

"Aw, come on, Edward! I haven't hardly seen her all day! Your family hogged her!" Alice protested.

"Ali, they don't live here like you do. You get to come over whenever you want. Now, like I said. We love you, but you need to go." He was still smiling as he said this.

"Fine," she pouted. I hated it when she pouted.

"Ali-" I started, but was cut off by Jasper.

"It's all right, Bells. Edward's right. We need to let you three rest. It's been a long couple of days for you."

"See you guys in a couple of days?" I asked hopefully.

"Sure," Seth replied. "I'll be the babysitter."

I laughed. "I think you may have to fight Alice for that title."

"There's no way you're going to be the babysitter, Seth. That's my job." Alice's face was set into a scowl.

They continued to argue as Edward shoved them out the door.

"Finally," he breathed, as he turned to me. "I didn't think we'd ever get rid of all of them."

"I thought you didn't mind them being here?" I asked as we made our way to our bedroom.

"I lied," he said shaking his head. "It would have been much better if it was just the three of us."

I wrapped my free arm around his waist and gently kissed him. "It was nice though, don't you think?"

"Sure," he said, walking into the bathroom.

I gently laid Claire on the bed and quickly changed into my pajamas before picking her back up. I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth one handed. I couldn't bear to put Claire down just yet.

"Are you tired, love?" he asked when I was finished.

"Exhausted," I laughed. "What about you?"

"A little." He paused. "Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you," he said passionately, cupping my face in his hand and kissing my lightly.

"For what now?" I asked, confused.

"For loving me," he said simply.

I smiled at him. "Then I guess I need to be the one thanking you."

His brows knit. "What do you mean?"

"Loving you has made me more complete, more happy, than I could have ever known possible. So thank you."

He smiled broadly. "I can't wait to marry you, Isabella."

I laughed. "I'll hold you to that, Dr. Cullen."

"Isabella Cullen. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" he said, the smile still plastered on his face.

"Yeah. It does."

He took Claire from my arms. "Sleep, love," he murmured as he gently kissed my forehead. "Your daughter and I are going to do some daddy-daughter bonding while you do."

******************************

Edward

Three weeks. I had practically been a prisoner inside my own home for three weeks. Between feedings, burpings, changings, baths, and a _lot_ of crying, Bella and I had barely had time to eat and take showers, much less sleep or get out of the house.

Claire was colicky, crying at all hours of the night, leaving Bella and I insanely exhausted by the time morning arrived. Nothing pacified her except for one of us to hold her during her crying fits. Thankfully, Alice, Jasper, and Seth were more than willing to help us in their spare time. Otherwise, I think we both may have gone insane from lack of sleep.

I stood in the living room and adjusted my tie as I watched Bella and Claire sleep in the living room chair. Bella's shirt was open and she had Claire cradled in her arms. Apparently, they had both been too exhausted to get through a feeding. I laughed silently to myself and walked over to them.

"Bella?" I gently shook her.

"Hmm?"

"I need to leave." Today was my first day back at work.

I got no response. I carefully lifted Claire out of Bella's arms and carried her to her cradle in our bedroom before coming back for Bella. I lifted Bella out of the chair and took her to our bed, laying her gently on her side of the bed before pulling the covers over her and kissing her forehead. She never stirred.

I grabbed the pad of paper and pencil and quickly scribbled a note to Bella. I placed it on the pillow next to her head and walked away.

I stopped at the bedroom door and turned back, watching Bella sleep for a moment before reluctantly heading to the garage. However sleep-depriving the last three weeks had been, they had been amazing. I was able to spend every waking moment with Bella and Claire. As much as I loved being a doctor, I was not looking forward to spending any time away from my girls.

I had just pulled out of the driveway when my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and smiled when I read my father's name.

"Hello?"

"Edward! How is everything going out there?"

"It's going," I said grimly.

"Is Claire still giving you trouble at night?"

I sighed. "Last night was better than it had been. She actually let us sleep for three hours before she woke up. Bella fed her and went back to sleep, only for Claire to start crying an hour later. I was up with her until it was time for another feeding, and then Bella took over so that I could get a little sleep before I had to get up for work."

"Have you spoken to her doctor?"

"Yes. We've tried everything and she still cries. At this point, we're assuming it's something she's just going to have to grow out of," I said, exasperated.

"I'm sorry, son." He paused. "So has this changed your mind on having any more?" he asked, chuckling.

I had told him I wanted an entire house full of children just after Claire was born.

I laughed. "No, not at all. But I'm not so sure about Bella."

"Well, it's only been three weeks. Give it time. I called to let you know that I'm doing an interview with _Time_ about the Cullen Foundation."_ Another one?_

" When does the article come out?"

"I couldn't say just yet. They were wanting to ask you and your mother some questions as well." _Great._

I exhaled sharply. "When?"

"They actually wanted to fax you a list of questions for you to answer to your office today, if that was all right."

That was surprising. "They don't want any pictures?"

"No. They're going to use some of the pictures your mother took in the field."

"Oh. Well, sure. I'll keep watch for it then." I wasn't happy about all the publicity, but it was good for the foundation.

"Edward, I know you don't enjoy being in the spotlight. I can't tell you how appreciative I am that you're always so cooperative with the press."

I frowned. "I'm sorry. I just don't want Bella and Claire to be pushed into the media blitz that's surrounded this thing."

"I understand. Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank me for, Dad. It's part of the job. Without the press, the public would never know how to get involved in something like this." I suddenly felt guilty.

"Edward," Carlisle reprimanded. "Don't feel guilty about something like this. It is perfectly understandable to want to protect your family."

_How did he always know what I was thinking?_ "Thanks," I muttered.

"Well, give Bella and Claire our love. I'll talk to you soon."

I shut the phone just as I pulled into the parking lot. I made my way to my office and stopped as soon as I opened the door, laughing loudly. The fax machine was printing out the interview. _Well, they didn't waste any time._

******************************

Bella

I woke up to Claire's quiet whimper. I looked around the bedroom in confusion. _I thought I was in the living room._ I rolled over to look at the clock and heard the crinkling of paper under my head. I sat up and looked at the clock as I grabbed the paper off the pillow. Claire had slept for three hours. _Not bad._ I looked down at the paper, smiling as I read the note Edward had written.

_Bella,_

_In case you're wondering how you made it into the bedroom, I tried to wake you up this morning before I left for work, but it was no use. You wouldn't wake up. I couldn't leave you like you were, so I carried you both to the bedroom so that you and Claire could get some proper sleep. I'll miss you two while I'm gone. If you need anything, call me and I'll come home._

_I love you._

_Edward_

I got up and stretched before walking over and picking Claire up. I carried her to the changing table and changed her diaper before sitting back on the bed and feeding her.

I looked down at my daughter and felt my heart swell in my chest. _Would this feeling ever go away?_ I sincerely hoped not. I loved looking down at her and feeling that surge of love pulse through my body.

She looked so much like Edward, it was amazing. Every little detail on her face was exactly like her father's, with the exception of her eye color. They were getting browner every day. Soon they would be identical to mine. Even her smooth, pale skin was exactly like Edward's.

After she was burped, I put her in the Moses basket and carried her to the bathroom. I glanced at myself in the mirror and my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. I looked like death. My hair was in a knot on top of my head, my skin was sallow, and I had purple shadows under my eyes.

I ran my hands over my face, trying to forget the image of myself in the mirror, and turned on the shower. I undressed quickly and peeked over at Claire before hopping in the shower. I showered quickly--afraid that if I took too much time, Claire would start to cry--and wrapped a towel around me before brushing my teeth. I took another peek at Claire and found that she was asleep, so I quietly went to the closet and pulled out some navy sweatpants and one of Edward's t-shirts. I got dressed and brushed my hair before getting Claire and going to the kitchen.

******************************

I managed to eat breakfast before Claire started crying. That was six hours ago. The only time she stopped crying was long enough to be fed. I was just about at my wits end.

I looked down at my daughter, who I was rocking furiously, and frowned. How could something so tiny be so loud? I shifted her in my arms, putting her up on my shoulder. She quieted for a moment before crying again. I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I looked at the clock, checking to see how much longer before her next feeding. It had only been forty-five minutes.

I stood up and began walking around her nursery, praying to God that I would find some way--any way--to calm her crying. Not only was I physically and emotionally drained, but I felt guilty that I couldn't find a way to soothe my own child. I was a terrible parent.

I was full of self-loathing when I heard Edward's steps coming closer to Claire's room.

"Bella? Are you all right?" He took one look at my face and rushed over, pulling me into his arms. "Bella! Why didn't you call me?"

I buried my face in his chest and started sobbing. "I wanted to do it myself. I can't even keep her from c..c..crying for one da...day! I'm a horrible mother!"

I could feel him laugh silently. "No, love. You're a wonderful mother. She's just having a difficult time right now. It's not your fault."

He rubbed soothing circles on my back and waited for me to calm down. Between my sobs and Claire's cries, it was amazing he had any amount of patience at all.

He took Claire from my arms and gently rocked her as he cupped my face with his free hand. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here," he murmured before he kissed me gently. "I had an idea while I was at work," he breathed against my lips.

"An idea?"

He grinned. "Follow me."

I followed him down to the living room and over to his piano. He stopped and handed Claire to me before sitting down at the piano.

"Sit down with me," he instructed.

I sat down and gently bounced Claire in my arms as he started playing the lullaby he wrote for her. I tried to listen to the song over her cries but it was no use.

"Edward, she's still crying."

He looked over at me and grinned. "Give it a minute, Bella."

I sighed and watched his hands fly over the keys, moving with such elegance, I was immediately captivated. The song came to an end and morphed into my lullaby. I was so entranced by his movements, I didn't realize that Claire was no longer crying until Edward began playing _Claire de Lune._

I looked down at Claire sleeping in my arms and felt my eyes fill with tears. "Edward! It worked!"

He abruptly stopped playing and wiped away the tears that had fallen down my cheeks. He kissed the end of my nose and smiled. "I had a feeling it would work."

We had spent three weeks trying everything from bouncers and swings, to running the hair dryer for constant sound. Nothing had worked until now.

I sat there with Edward reveling in the quiet. I took a deep breath before I spoke. "Thank you."

"I'm just sorry I didn't think of it sooner. I could have saved us a lot of trouble if I had."

He took Claire from my arms and put her in her cradle in our bedroom. He came back out with the baby monitor.

"There's dinner in the kitchen if you're hungry."

My stomach snarled. "I'm starving. I haven't eaten since this morning."

He pulled me off the piano bench and wrapped his arms around me. "You should have called."

I blew out a breath against his chest. "I know. I just didn't want to interrupt your first day back."

He grabbed my chin and pulled my face up gently to his. He looked directly into my eyes. "I would have come home. I've told you before that you and Claire are more important to me than being at the hospital. If I needed to, I could have brought whatever I was working on home with me."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to do it by myself. I can't explain it. I don't want to feel like I'm relying on you to take care of Claire."

"You're not relying on me. Bella, do you have any idea how much more you do for her than I do?" I looked up at him in confusion. "You're the one who feeds her. You have to get up with her each and every time she's hungry until we start using bottles. I feel so helpless sometimes."

I stood on my toes and kissed him softly. "You help more than you could know. Even though you're not the one feeding her, you've never made me stay up with her alone. You always keep me company during feedings and you take her for me when I'm too tired to hold my head up. I couldn't ask for any more from you than what you already do."

He smiled crookedly at me. "Thank you."


	28. Chapter 28

**Thanks for the reviews!!!**

**Lemon Alert! **

Chapter 28

Edward

I looked down at my watch anxiously. Bella would be home from shopping with Alice in just a few minutes.

Bella's six week exam was last week. She was given the green light for us to try to have sex again and had gotten a birth control prescription. Our plan was that we would try that night, but mother nature got in the way. In the nine days since then, I had made arrangements to take Bella out for the night tonight. I was so excited with the thought of being able to make love to my Bella again, I could hardly stop my leg from bouncing up and down rapidly as I sat on the couch, waiting for her to come home.

Claire was asleep in her cradle. She had been changed and fed, just before she fell asleep. She had finally stopped screaming two weeks ago at all hours of the day and was sleeping for almost six hours at night. I was fervently hoping that tonight would not be the night she decided to break that cycle. With all that crying, my plans of being able to fool around with Bella were tossed aside. Until two weeks ago, we were both too exhausted by the time the day was over to think of anything other than sleep.

I went into the kitchen to check on dinner. I had some parmesan crusted Tilapia baking in the oven and had made some spaghetti sauce and a salad. I went over to the range and saw that the water I had put on was boiling, so I added the angel hair pasta into it and turned down the heat.

I heard the garage door open and nervously watched the door for Bella. When she finally came through the door, she was holding bags in both hands and looked exhausted.

I rushed over to her and took the bags from her hands before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. "Hello, love. How was your day?" She merely looked at me. "Ali?"

She nodded and blew out a breath. "She made me buy a few things for Claire--even though she doesn't need anything else. I also got shoes, jeans, a few shirts, and some bras because none of my regular ones fit any more.

I looked down at her chest and grinned. "No, I'd say they don't."

"Edward!" She playfully smacked my arm and smiled back.

I sat the bags down on the counter and went over to stir the pasta. "Dinner's ready, will you get the fish out of the oven while I drain the pasta?"

"Sure."

We finished up the food and made our plates before sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Wait! Hold on." I raced over to the counter and grabbed the lighter before rushing back over the table and lighting the candles I'd put out.

Bella laughed. "Candles?"

"Why not? Just because our lives have been ridiculously busy for the last seven and a half weeks doesn't mean we can't have a little bit of romance in our lives." I had lots of romance planned tonight if Bella was ready.

She cocked her eyebrow and took a bite of salad. "You expecting to get laid tonight, Edward?"

I merely shrugged. I wasn't about to jinx it by answering that question.

We ate our dinner and had just finished cleaning up when the doorbell rang.

Bella looked at me in confusion. "Who could that be?"

I smiled. "Go answer it, love."

She reluctantly turned away from me and went to the door. I could hear her laughing when she opened the door and saw who was here.

"Edward Cullen! What have you got planned?" she asked, laughing as she and Seth came into the kitchen.

"Nothing," I said, innocently. "I don't know what you mean."

Seth grinned at me and took the baby monitor out of my hand. "I'll see you guys later."

******************************

Bella

Edward was quiet the entire way to where-ever-it-was-he-was-taking-me. I tried to get any clue what we were doing, but he wouldn't give me any. His only instruction was that I pump another bottle for Claire before we left--which could only mean that he was planning to be gone for the entire night.

We pulled into the marina, and my forehead creased in confusion. "Edward?!" I cried in frustration. "What are we doing?"

"You'll see soon enough. Just be patient," he smirked.

He pulled into a parking space and quickly came to my side of the car, opening the door for me. He gently helped me out of the car before opening the trunk and grabbing a duffle bag out of it.

"You packed a bag?"

"Yep." He grinned, taking my hand and pulled me down to the dock.

We made our way past boats of all different sizes and types before stopping at one. I looked at the massive white yacht and frowned.

"You bought a yacht?" I asked in surprise.

He laughed. "No. I just rented it. You need a crew to run a boat this size."

"Where are we going?"

He smiled at me. "Not far. Just out into one of the Straits. I thought it might be nice to do something different. You've been practically locked inside our house for almost eight weeks now."

I looked at his face and felt my face break out into a wide smile. "You mean, I get to sleep through the night?"

He pulled me to him and pressed his lips against mine. "Well, I think it depends, love."

I shivered at his innuendo. "Is that so?" I whispered against his lips.

He pulled back and looked at me. "I'm not expecting anything. I just thought it would be nice to spend some time alone with you." He grinned mischievously. "And if certain activities take place, you won't hear me complaining."

I laughed and looked back up at the boat. "How do we get on this thing anyways?"

He laughed loudly at me and motioned for me to follow him. "Back here." He pointed to where we would get on. "Would you like to see the inside?"

"Um, okay?"

He shook his head and helped me onto the boat. He grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to the deck where two men were waiting for us.

"Welcome aboard, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen." I cocked my eyebrow at Edward but didn't say a word. "I'm Garrett and this is Randall. The captain is ready to leave when you are. Is there anything we can get for you before we leave the marina?"

"No, thank you." Edward said politely. "Is everything set up on the Flybridge?"

"Yes," Randall said, smiling. "I set everything up just before you arrived."

Edward smiled back. "Thank you. I'll let you know if we need anything else tonight."

He took my hand and led me inside to a living area. It had oak hardwood floors, and walls with wide windows. A sliding glass door lead to the other side of the deck. There were two green chairs with ottomans and a cream colored sofa with turquoise pillows. I looked over to the right and saw a granite wet bar.

"Edward," I breathed. "It has a big screen TV!"

He laughed and motioned for me to follow him. He led me through the dining area and down the steps to the master suite where a king size bed sat in the middle of the room.

He threw the duffle bag on the bed and opened it, digging inside while I looked around. There was so much to take in.

Edward walked over to me with my navy blue bathing suit in his hand, smirking. "So I take it you like the surprise?"

"It's incredible!" I looked at my bathing suit in his hands and frowned. "What's that for?" I asked skeptically.

"You need to put this on before we go up to the Flybridge." He eyed me curiously. "What's the matter, love?"

"I don't know if I fit into that anymore," I said quietly.

I hadn't paid much attention to myself in the mirror since Claire was born but I knew I wasn't back to my old self yet. And I was pretty sure my breasts were not going to fit into that top any more.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me softly. "Alice checked. You'll fit, I promise."

I reluctantly took the bathing suit out of his hands and changed in the bathroom. He was right, it fit. I pulled my hair up in a messy ponytail and walked back out into the bedroom. Edward had already changed into his swimming trunks and was pulling our clothes he'd packed for tomorrow out of the bag. My eyes ran up and down his muscular back and I felt that familiar wave of desire for him rush through my core.

He looked back at me and smiled broadly. "You look wonderful, Bella." He came over to me and cupped my face in his hands before kissing me softly. "I would never have guessed you had a baby seven weeks ago."

I scoffed. "Yeah, right."

He looked me directly in the eyes. "Bella. I'm serious. When was the last time you wore something other than my button down shirts or your sweatpants?"

I thought for a moment. "I have no idea."

His eyes were burning with fire. "Trust me on this. You look just as you did before Claire was born." He ran his hands down the sides of my breasts and smirked. "Well, almost." I bit my lip at the sensations his hands were sending through my body. "So, now that you know there is nothing for you to be worried about, would you like to see the Flybridge now?"

I nodded my head and smiled before I followed him back out to the deck. When we got outside, he led me to a flight of steps and motioned for me to go up them.

I came up on the Flybridge and felt my face break out into a wide smile. There were lights strung all across the deck and a hot tub in the middle of it. I looked down to see a path of red rose petals leading to the hot tub.

I looked back at him and pointed to the hot tub. "I take it that's our destination?"

He nodded and took my hand as we walked over to the hot tub, helping me in before he walked over to one of the tables. I melted into the seat as the hot water rushed against my body.

He grabbed a tray of fruit and a large bottle of water off the table and brought it to the ledge of the hot tub.

"I would have liked to have some wine or champagne, but with you nursing, it wasn't possible. I wasn't sure if there was enough of your supply at home to last until all the alcohol was out of your system." He got in the hot tub and moved over to me, shifting me so that I was sitting in between his legs.

"We don't need it," I replied as he nuzzled against my neck.

He gave me a chaste kiss on the back of my neck before sitting up. We nibbled on the fruit for a few minutes in silence before I felt his hands move to my shoulders, massaging gently. I groaned, causing him to laugh.

"You're full of knots."

I laughed. "I can only imagine."

He silently continued to work the kinks out of my neck and shoulders. I watched the lights of the city slowly pass us by. It was beautiful. When he was done he ran his hands up and down my arms before resting them on my thighs, running his fingers lightly across them.

"You have no idea how much I've missed touching you, Bella."

His words ran chills down my spine even though I was sitting in the hot water. "You have touched me, Edward."

"Not like this," he whispered. He moved his hands up my body and began stroking my breasts before he slipped his hands inside my top. "Let me know if you need me to stop, love." He trailed kisses up and down my neck as he said this.

His thumbs flicked my nipples and I couldn't imagine ever wanting him to stop. I shifted my body so that I was no longer sitting in the seat but in his lap instead. I felt his erection press against me and moaned.

In one quick movement, Edward turned me around so that I was facing him. I straddled him and bent down to kiss him, tracing my tongue over his lips. He parted his mouth and his sweet breath washed across my face before he kissed me so deeply, my head started to spin. His hands moved to my waist and he pushed my body down onto him, grinding his hips into me. I moaned again and felt his hands trail their way back up to my top and untie it before he tossed it aside.

His hands cupped my breasts and I giggled. He opened his eyes and looked at me in confusion. "What is it?" he asked, laughing.

"Don't squeeze too hard unless you're hungry."

He rolled his eyes and pulled me back into the kiss. I felt his hands move down to my bottoms, moving his thumbs teasingly against my skin underneath the hemline. He grabbed the strings, untying them, and pulled them off of me before pulling his own shorts down.

He looked at me and smiled. "I wanted to feel you against me." He brought me back down on him and groaned. "Bella."

His hand snaked around my hip and he ran his long fingers down my slit teasingly. I bit my lip as he flicked my clit. "Edward," I said as I looked into his eyes. "I need you."

His fingers gently plunged inside me and I gasped in pleasure. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, anxiously.

"No, no. It felt good. Please don't stop."

I leaned down and kissed him again as he slowly moved his fingers in and out of me. His thumb traced circles on my clit and I could feel myself tightening up around him.

"Bella, I want to make love to you." I felt my orgasm rush through me as he said the words. He looked at me with dark eyes and smiled. "I love to feel you come."

"Now, Edward," I demanded.

He nodded and slowly pushed himself into me. I felt myself stretch around his length and gasped--this time in pain. "Are you all right?"

I bit my lip and nodded. "Just give me a second."

We were still as my body adjusted to him. I slowly started moving up and down on him, going a little faster each time. He grabbed my hips and directed me down on him as he kissed me.

He started thrusting his hips forward as he brought me down on him and I knew he was close. I could feel the pressure building in my body with each thrust. "Bella, I'm going to come," he murmured against my lips.

"Ugh," I groaned in response.

His hand reached across my body and flicked my clit in time with his trusts, sending me over the edge. My walls pulsed around him causing him to lose control.

I laid my head on his shoulder, breathless, as he stroked my back gently with his hands.

"I love you, angel."

I sat up and looked at him. "Angel?" I hadn't heard that one yet.

He nodded his head. "Yes. Do you remember the dream I had about you?" I nodded. "You looked like an angel to me. I've always thought of you as my angel, since the moment I met you."

I blushed and kissed him tenderly. "That is one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me. Thank you."

******************************

Edward

We eventually made our way back to the master suite, stripping our bathing suits off and laying them out on the Jacuzzi. I looked down at the various soaps, salts, and soaks and frowned. I suddenly wanted to use them on Bella.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" She had pulled one of the towels of the bars and was drying off. I looked at her slim, naked form and felt myself getting hard again.

"I think we could use a bath." I grinned wickedly at her. "Wash off all that chlorine."

She smirked at me. "You want to take a bath?"

"Yes, don't you?" I cocked my eyebrow at her.

"I don't know. I look like a prune." She held up her wrinkly hands .

I laughed and looked at my hands. They were just as wrinkled. I walked over to her and pulled her into my arms. "Never mind. We can take one in the morning. Are you tired?"

"A little." She ran her hands up and down my spine, causing the blood in my body to rush south.

I leaned down and kissed her, moving my mouth with hers. She moaned as I nipped gently on her bottom lip and tugged before I assaulted her mouth with mine again. I could feel my dick twitching against her stomach with every surge of heat her kiss sent through my veins.

"Bed?" I mumbled against her lips.

She nodded and I quickly moved my hands from her hips down her ass and picked her up so that she was straddling me as I carried her to the bed. I laid her down and positioned myself in between her legs. I cupped her face in my hand and leaned down with the intention of kissing her softly, but as soon as my lips met hers, all the pent up sexual frustration we had been feeling for the last two weeks suddenly broke loose.

I attacked her mouth with mine, causing our teeth to clash, as I ran my hand up and down her body. I ground my hips into her, feeling my dick move up and down her slit, getting wetter and wetter with each thrust. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Fuck. Bella, I need to be inside you," I grunted against her mouth. "Are you ready?" I didn't want to do too much too soon.

"Edward," she moaned. "Just do it already."

I slammed myself into her, a little harder than I had planned, and felt her tense up. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, don't stop."

I thrusted in and out her rhythmically before I felt her tightening up around me. I shifted her underneath me, so that I was hitting her most sensitive spot, and felt her muscles ripple around my dick with her orgasm.

I reluctantly pulled out of her and turned her around on her knees before pushing myself back into her. I placed a frenzy of kisses along her back as I continued to drive myself into her. After what felt like hours of the most glorious sex I had ever had in my life, I felt her body tightening around my dick again. I moved my hand so that I could flick her clit with my fingers, knowing that as soon as she came I could lose all control.

"Oh, God!" she yelled, as she came again.

I could feel my orgasm uncoil as I began thrusting irregularly into her. I grabbed her hips and slammed her down on me, before the intense waves of pleasure pulsed through my dick.

"Bella!" I half yelled, half grunted as I released into her.

We both collapsed on the bed, breathless. After our breathing and heart rates slowed, we looked at each other and started laughing.

"That had to be a record, Edward," she giggled, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to stop," I told her in between chuckles. I took a deep breath and looked at her seriously. "That was the best sex I think I've ever had."

"It was pretty good, wasn't it?" she smirked.

"It always is with you. But I think this time was exceptionally good."

We got up and threw on our pajamas and brushed our teeth. We climbed into the bed and turned off the lights. I pulled Bella into my arms and felt her relax into me.

"This was such a wonderful idea, Edward." I could tell she was tired. "What time do you think we need to leave?"

I smiled. "Thank you. I would say if we left by nine, we should get home before Seth runs out of milk to give Claire."

"Okay. Goodnight, baby."

I loved it when she called me that. She so rarely used any terms of endearment. "Goodnight, my angel."

******************************

We woke up the next morning to the sound of the alarm on my cell phone. I grabbed it off the table and turned it off before turning back to Bella, wrapping her in my arms.

"How did you sleep, love?"

"Fabulously." She stretched and turned in my arms. "I'm ready to go home to see our daughter. I miss her."

"So do I." I kissed the tip of her nose and got up, going into the bathroom and turning on the shower.

I brushed my teeth and heard Bella shuffle into the bathroom behind me. "Oh, my God. I'm so sore," she groaned.

I quickly spit the toothpaste out of my mouth. "I'm so sorry, love."

"Shut up. It was worth it. Besides, I'm sure it will take me a while to get back to my old self." She gave me a quick wink before brushing her teeth.

We quickly showered and got dressed before we packed up all of our belongings and headed up to the dining area.

"How was your stay?" Garrett asked.

"Wonderful, thank you." Bella replied, smiling.

Randall brought out a tray of food to the table. He set our plates in front of us, uncovering eggs, bacon, pancakes, and fruit.

"Wow." Bella's eyes widened.

"Would you all like some coffee, juice, or water?"

"Coffee," we replied at the same time.

We finished our breakfast and left the yacht feeling more relaxed than we had in weeks. As I drove home, I watched Bella fidget anxiously in her seat.

I reached over and grabbed her hand, chuckling to myself. "Relax, love."

"Can't we get there any faster?" I felt my mouth drop open. Bella hated it when I drove fast.

"You want me to drive faster, love?"

She looked at me and pouted. "Well, no. I guess not." She looked back out the window. "I just can't wait to see Claire. I don't know why. We've only been gone for fourteen hours."

"I'm ready to see her, too."

We pulled into the garage and Bella practically jumped out of the car. She started towards the door, but she turned around like she was waiting for me.

I started towards the trunk to grab our bag. "Go on, love. I'll meet you in there."

She gave me a broad smile and went into the house.

I got the bag out of the trunk and took it to our bedroom before going into the living room where Seth, Bella, and Claire were. I walked in to Bella cooing at Claire in her arms while Seth was cleaning up his homework.

I went over to Bella and gently cupped Claire's head in my hand before placing a quick kiss on it. I hadn't realized exactly how much I missed her until I pulled in the garage.

"Thanks for watching her, man."

Seth gave me a grin. "Any time."

"Was she good for you?" Bella looked at him with a hopeful expression on her face.

"Very." He stuffed the last book in his bag. "Well, I'm outta here. I'll talk to you guys later."

"See ya."

We heard Seth shut the door and we both looked down at Claire.

"How am I going to make it a week on our honeymoon without her?"

I looked at Bella's face and frowned. She was right. I would miss Claire like crazy while were gone. "I have no idea. Do you not want to take a honeymoon?"

She looked into my eyes. "No, of course I do. I just don't want to be away from her either."

"Are you sure? We can postpone it for a couple of years, if you'd like."

She shook her head. "No. Edward, I want to go on it while she's little. If we don't go right away, we'll never go on one. There will always be something to keep us home." She paused. "Where do you want to go, anyways?"

"I have some ideas." And she wouldn't know about any of them until the day we got there.

She glared at me. "You're going to try and surprise me, aren't you?"

"Maybe." I leaned down and quickly kissed her before she could continue the argument. "I've got some things to get done around here, love. Why don't you and Claire hang out on the couch and watch a movie."

"Fine." She grumbled something unintellegable as she sat down.

"Bella?"

She looked up at me. "What is it?"

"I love you." I gave her a big, cheesy grin.

She laughed. "I love you, too."

**Yes, I'm jealous of Bella's post-baby body too. **

**Bachelor party is next...I used some ideas of my times out with my husband's friends to get some inspiration. No crazy drama, just a lot of fun! **

**I wrote two chapters of another story and am posting them before I keep working on it to find out if it's any good or not! It's called Summer Nights if you're interested ;)**


	29. Chapter 29

**There's a lemon towards the end of the chapter...**

**Also, I mention a bar here where I live...No, I do not own it. There--it's been disclaimed.**

Chapter 29

Edward

I was not looking forward to this evening. Jasper, Emmett, and Seth had demanded that I have a bachelor party. After arguing with them for weeks, I finally just gave in. There was no way they were going to let me out of it.

We had all flown out to Chicago for the weekend, since Rosie was unable to travel. It was two weekends before Thanksgiving, and we were going to celebrate with my family here in Chicago, before celebrating it again in Seattle. Esme had concerns that Rosalie would go into labor before Thanksgiving and had decided to celebrate it early. She invited Alice, Jasper, and Seth; causing Emmett to start planning a bachelor party of 'epic proportions'.

I looked over at Bella and frowned. She was holding Claire in the crook of her arm, going through pictures for the scrapbook of Claire that Esme had convinced her to start.

I walked over and motioned for Bella to pass Claire to me. She looked up and laughed as she did. "Jeez, someone's in a bad mood."

I held Claire and kissed her chubby little cheek, earning a smile in response. I would never tire of seeing that beautiful little smile of hers.

"I'd much rather stay home with my girls. I hate this kind of stuff."

She nodded her head absently as she studied a picture of Claire dressed up as a ladybug with Esme on Halloween. "Well, I hate surprises, and yet I have no idea where you're taking me on our honeymoon."

I laughed. "That's different."

"How so?" she asked, smiling up at me.

Claire cooed in my arms. "Because, you're not going to be doing something you hate." I looked down into Claire's big brown eyes and smiled. "Tell Mommy that she'll love what Daddy has planned."

Bella giggled. "You are bad, Edward. You're already using our daughter as a pawn to get me to do whatever you want."

"That's not bad, that's smart." I winked at Bella. "I just don't see why I have to go out bar hopping while you get to relax in a spa all day tomorrow." I lightly ran my fingers through my daughter's short bronze curls.

"Well, the only reason Alice isn't forcing me to bar hop is because Rose can't drink." She looked up at me. "Just try to have fun for your brother, okay?"

I nodded my head and frowned. I was being a poor sport. "I'll try."

Bella stood up and stretched, exposing her flat stomach. She looked even more beautiful than she did the day I met her. She was just as petite as she was before Claire was born, only thanks to my daughter, her breasts were a size larger.

I groaned, making her look at me curiously. "What?" she asked laughing.

"You. You're so beautiful." I walked over to her and kissed her gently, before tracing my tongue along her lips.

She parted her lips for me and sighed when our tongues met. She pulled away too soon, smiling. "I think you're a little too partial to be making that kind of judgment."

"I don't think so. Have I told you that you're even more beautiful now than you were before Claire was born?"

She laughed. "A few times."

I wrapped my arm around her waist and leaned down, trailing kisses across her jaw line. I reached her ear and gently sucked on her earlobe, causing her to shiver in response. "It's true. You have no idea how much I want you right now," I whispered.

I could hear her breathe in shakily as I pulled her body closer to me, pressing my erection into her.

"Edward," she breathed.

"I think I should go put our daughter in her bouncer so that I can show you how beautiful I think you are before Emmett gets here," I murmured against her neck.

I could feel her melt into me. "Nice try," she mumbled.

"Come on, love." I nipped on her neck. "I won't take long, I promise."

"But what if I want you to take a while?" she breathed. I could tell she was losing control.

Just a little more coaxing and she would agree. "Then I'll just ignore him if he gets here. He can wait." I ran my tongue up her jaw to her ear before moving back to her mouth. "Please, love?" I asked huskily before I parted her lips with mine and kissed her deeply.

"Edward, I-" Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by the knock on the guest house door.

"Fuck," I muttered. I was so close. "Saved by my idiot brother."

She laughed. "Yes, I was. I'll have to thank him later. Knowing Emmett he would have found a way in." She shuddered dramatically. "That would have been embarrassing."

She looked at me and smiled. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen from kissing me.

"God, you look amazing. Do _not_ fall asleep tonight before I get home. I plan to finish this conversation."

She giggled as I passed Claire to her. "I'm not sure what we were even talking about exactly."

"Ha. You know _exactly_ what I was talking about, love." Her cheeks grew even redder.

Emmett knocked on the door again, this time loudly.

"I'm coming, damnit!" I yelled at the door. I turned back to Bella and grinned crookedly at her. "I'll see you later." I kissed her softly before leaning down and kissing Claire's hair. "Bye, baby," I murmured against her head before standing back up. "I love you two," I said before walking to the door.

I opened it and scowled. "Hey, bro! Let's go!" Emmett looked at me and stopped smiling. "What's the matter with you?"

"I was about to get laid," I growled.

"Oh. I didn't mean to cock block you, dude."

I exhaled sharply. "I know. Let's go so I can get back to Bella." I looked at him seriously. "I'm _not_ closing down the bars tonight."

"Oh, come on! You only get married once!" he protested.

"No, you owe me. If you would have just waited the extra twenty minutes to meet me at nine like we planned, I would be in an excellent mood right now."

"Fine," he grumbled as he got in his truck.

******************************

We pulled up to Emmett's favorite sushi restaurant and got out, giving the valet the keys. I saw Jasper and Seth and waved them over before turning back to Emmett.

"Uh, I thought tonight was supposed to be about me?"

"It is, man!" He was grinning widely.

"Then why are we at _your_ favorite restaurant?" I looked at him pointedly.

He looked down and scratched the back of his neck. "This is the only thing, I swear. I haven't been able to eat this stuff since March! Rosie won't come here with me because she can't eat sushi until after the baby gets here." He looked at me pleadingly. "Please, bro? Just this one thing?"

I laughed. "Fine. Let's go eat some raw fish."

The hostess led us to our table and I looked around at the chairs. "Is there a reason there are two extra seats?"

Emmett laughed. "Yeah, Dad _had_ to come. And Ben's supposed to be meeting us here."

"Ben Cheney's coming?" I asked in shock. I hadn't seen him since high school. "How in the hell did you manage that?"

"I ran into him the other day and told him you were getting married next month. One thing led to another and I invited him."

I felt my face break into a wide smile at the thought of being able to see my childhood best friend. "That is fucking awesome, Em. Thanks."

The waitress came over with two tokkuris and six chokos. "Sake?" I looked around. "Who ordered sake?"

"I did. Alice and I get it every time we eat sushi." Jasper was grinning.

"Okay," I said slowly as I took a cup from him. "I've never actually tasted sake before."

"You're shitting me!" Jasper seemed genuinely shocked. I looked over to see Seth laughing at me.

"Shut the fuck up, Seth," I said, laughing back. "No, I'm not." I took a drink. "Oh, God, this is disgusting." I quickly threw back the rest of it.

I looked up to see Carlisle and Ben walking over to us. "What's up?" I asked Ben excitedly as he walked over. I suddenly felt like I was back in college.

"Not much. I hear you're getting married!" He gave me a quick hug.

"Yeah. Dude, she's amazing." I was beaming.

"Got a picture?"

"Yeah, hang on a sec." I pulled out my phone and pulled up the picture of Bella and Claire I'd taken a few days back. "Here."

I handed him the phone and watched his eyes widen. "You have a baby?"

"Emmett didn't tell you?"

He laughed. "No, he must have forgotten that part. She's beautiful." He paused. "They both are. Congratulations, man!"

I took back my phone, still grinning. "Thanks. When are you going to have any?"

"As soon as I meet the right girl. You liking Seattle?"

I nodded. "Love it, obviously."

"Think there's room for me?"

"You want to move to Seattle? Really?" My eyebrows shot up.

"I need a change of scenery." He shrugged his shoulders.

"That would be awesome. Let me know if you decide to."

We laughed and drank the entire way through dinner. After we paid, we walked out of the restaurant and waited for the valets to bring us our cars.

I looked over at Seth. "I think I've had too much sake." I felt like I was in slow motion.

He laughed. "Better sober up man, I think Emmett's got a lot more drinking in store for you tonight."

I ran my hand through my hair. "Great."

We followed Emmett downtown and pulled into a parking garage before we walked into a bar I'd never seen before.

"Where are we?"

"It's a new bar. It's called Eclipse," Emmett answered before he walked over to the bar.

I looked over at Jasper. "I've only been gone for a year!"

He put his hand on my shoulder. "Things change, dude."

We found a table and sat down, listening to the music. Emmett came over to us with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What are you up to?" I asked, skeptically.

"Nothing, bro." His grin widened.

Soon after, the bartender walked over with a tray full of pink drinks that were literally smoking.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked in disbelief.

"A smokin' Jager bomb!" Emmett boomed.

I knew what a Jager bomb was, but this was unlike anything I'd ever seen. "This isn't a Jager bomb! This is smoking!"

"Don't think about it. Just try it." I grabbed the drink out of his hands and frowned. "And for God's sake! Don't inhale!"

"Well, that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

I watched as everyone else eyed their drinks dubiously. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who wasn't so sure about this.

"All righty, boys! Here's to my big brother Edward and my beautiful soon-to-be little sister. May all the dramatic bullshit with you two be over and you live long, happy, healthy lives together. I love you, man!"

I felt my face light up with Emmett's words and we all downed the Jager bombs. "Actually, that was pretty fucking decent."

"I know, right?" He looked around for the waitress. "Let's get some more!"

We drank everything we could think of. We had more Jager bombs, Cherry bombs, Mind Erasers, Blow Jobs, straight tequila, Absinth, you name it--we drank it.

"Wanna go to Scores?" Emmett slurred.

"What's Scores?" Seth looked confused. "Is it a sports bar?"

For some reason, that was hysterically funny. Emmett and I couldn't stop laughing.

When our laughter finally died down, Emmett answered him. "No, dude! It's a titty bar! One my buddies is a bouncer there on the weekends."

"Oh." Seth's face lit up. "Well, what are we waiting for?!"

******************************

We walked into the building and I felt my body vibrate in time with the bass in the song.

"Jon! What's up, bud?" Emmett went over to a big guy with tattoos sitting on a stool at the doorway.

"Not much, man. What are you out doing?"

"My brother's getting married next month, so I'm taking him out." He started rummaging through his pockets. "How much do I owe ya?"

He looked over at where we were standing. "How many of there are you?"

"Six."

"Nothin' man. Just go in." He waved us to go on.

"Thanks dude!" Emmett looked back at me. "You are so fucked, Eddie!"

I felt the blood drain out of my face. "What? No, don't even fucking _think_ about it!" I didn't want to get up on stage.

"Too bad." I groaned. _Fuck!_

We went to the bar and ordered shots of Jager. It seemed to be the drink of choice for the evening.

Before I knew it, a petite little blond with huge tits wearing a sparkly pink bikini came over to me. There was no way for me to be a gentleman and call them breasts. They were fucking tits, hands down. She looked like something straight out of a porno movie.

"You. Come with me."

_Shit, shit, shit!_ "No, that's okay. Thanks, though."

She grabbed my arm and I felt all the guys push me forward towards the stage. I dug my heels into the floor, but it was no use. I got up on the stage and sat down in the chair that someone had put out. She grabbed a microphone and motioned for the DJ to turn down the music.

"All right, everybody! Listen up! This here is Edward, and he's getting married next month! So, what do we do here at Scores to those who are getting married?" She held out the microphone and waited for the crowd to answer her. "That's right! We give them a little something to remember their single days by!"

I had no idea what she was going to do to me, but I was betting it wasn't going to be good.

"Hi, Edward. I'm Marcie. Put your hands above your head, please." I did as instructed and she put my hands in shackles that dangled from the ceiling. "All right. Now, I'm going to blindfold you before I do this first part."

"Uh, o..okay," I stuttered. I was so nervous, it was ridiculous. What had Emmett gotten me in to?

After I was blindfolded, I heard the music start up. I felt her straddle my lap and start grinding against me. I thought of anything and everything but what was happening so that I didn't embarrass myself. It wasn't long before I heard the crowd cheer as Marcie moved around on top of me. I was guessing she took off her top. I felt her arms wrap around my neck as she buried my face in her tits. _Yep. She was topless._ I held my breath and prayed that this would end. I was going to kick Emmett's ass when this was through.

She took off the blindfold, only to start grinding against my lap and shoving her tits in my face again. Finally, the song ended and she got up. _Thank, God, it's over._

"Stand up."

I stood up and watched her kick the chair out from behind me. She took something out of one of the bouncer's hands and held it behind her back.

She brought the microphone back to her mouth. "Now, I put all my energy into that lap dance and Edward here didn't appreciate it. Not once did I feel his cock get hard as I ground my pussy against it." She grinned wickedly. "Edward was a bad, bad boy. I think he needs to be punished."

I did _not_ like the sound of that.

She walked over to me and reached to unbutton my jeans. I moved my hips to the side. "No. I don't think so."

"Just go with it. It'll be much easier on you if you do." She looked me directly in the eyes.

"Fine," I growled. I was definitely going to kick the shit out of Emmett when this was all over.

She pulled my jeans down, leaving only my boxers up. I finally saw what was behind her back--it was a black studded belt. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed that she took it easy on me.

"How old are you, Edward?"

_Fuck. _"Twenty-four." I opened my eyes and pleaded silently with her.

She laughed. "I'll go with it, but how old are you really?"

"Thirty-one," I croaked.

"Don't look it." She looked at me seriously. "Here we go. Ready?"

"No," I muttered.

She held the microphone to her mouth again. "I'm going to punish this bad, bad boy by spanking him twenty-four times! Here we go!"

She drew back and slammed the belt against my ass, sending the searing pain through my body. I gritted my teeth and took it silently as she did it over and over until I was finally so numb, I could no longer feel it.

When it was finally over, everyone in the club went wild, screaming and yelling at us. The music picked back up and she released me from the shackles. I pulled up my pants and pulled out my cell phone, furiously dialing a cab company so that I could go home. I was done.

There was a cab just down the road that would be able to pick me up in five minutes. I pushed my way through the crowd and out the door, not bothering to find anyone else. I was too furious for words.

Carlisle came out and stood next to me on the sidewalk. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," I said through my teeth. He just looked at me. "No. I'm fucking pissed! The lap dance didn't piss me off, but having the girl spank me because I didn't get hard? I know Emmett put her up to it!"

"You're probably right. But he didn't mean any harm. You know how he is." I nodded. "So, are you going back to the guesthouse?"

"Yeah. I told Bella to wait up for me so I need to get back anyway." The cab pulled up. "Tell everyone I said 'Thank you' and that I had a great time."

"I will. See you later, son."

By the time I got back to Carlisle and Esme's guesthouse, my ass was throbbing. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to sit down properly tomorrow.

I heard Bella's beautiful voice calling from the living room. "Edward? Is that you?"

"Yeah. It's me." I kicked off my shoes and threw the contents of my pockets on the kitchen counter, a little harder than I had intended to.

"Hi!" Her whole face lit up as soon as she saw me.

"Hi." I pulled her into my arms and inhaled her amazing scent. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." I leaned down and kissed her, sweeping my tongue against hers. I had been waiting for this all night.

"Bedroom? Please?" I mumbled against her mouth.

"'Kay," she mumbled back.

I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom silently, so that I didn't wake Claire. I got to the bed and just plopped us down, causing Bella to giggle quietly. I pulled her shirt over her head and fumbled with her bra clasp for a second before finally getting it undone.

I brought my mouth back to hers and began kneading her breasts with my hand while my thumb traced over her nipples. I felt her shiver and smiled against her mouth.

"What did you guys do?" She asked, breathless, as she took my shirt off.

"Went to eat sushi, then drank and Emmett took me to a strip club." I started pulling her pajama bottoms down, grabbing her underwear and bringing them down at the same time.

She undid my belt and my jeans and pushed them down to my knees. "He did?"

"No more talking, please," I muttered as I brought my lips back to hers.

I moved my hand down slit and slipped my fingers inside her.

She moaned. "Edward, I want to be on top," she whispered against my lips.

I pumped my fingers in and out of her, feeling her getting wetter and wetter each time.

"Can't." I ran kisses down her neck to her breasts where I traced my tongue across her nipples, enjoying them one at a time.

"Ugh...what are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you when we're done." I looked her in the eyes. "I would greatly appreciate it if you came now, Isabella."

I saw the heat flash through her eyes as she bit her lip. I continued to pump my fingers in and out of her as I ran my thumb across her clit. I felt her body tighten up before she finally released, clamping down on my fingers as she did.

I pulled my hand out from between her legs and shifted myself so that I was right outside of her.

I pushed into her, groaning. "God, Bella. You feel fantastic."

"Hmmm," she hummed as I began thrusting in and out of her.

Our bodies worked together, her hips meeting my thrusts in perfect synchronization. I could feel my orgasm building with each thrust into her perfect body.

"Bella, love. I've had a long night. I can't last much longer," I grunted.

I grabbed her hips and pulled her into me. "Edward," she groaned.

I felt my orgasm pulse through me, triggering Bella's in response before practically collapsing on top of her. I was suddenly so exhausted I could barely hold my eyes open.

I shifted my body so that I was laying on my side, facing Bella, and ran my fingers through her beautiful, mahogany hair.

"Why couldn't I be on top?"

I yawned. "Emmett took me to a strip club. Had one of the strippers take me on stage and did a lap dance then she spanked me with a studded belt twenty-four times--hard. Fucking hurts like hell."

She giggled. "I'm so sorry. I bet that pissed you off."

"You know me well. I left just after that." I yawned again. "Wake me up when you leave tomorrow, love?"

"Of course. I love you." I felt her snuggle into me.

"Love you," I whispered, just before I slipped into unconsciousness.

**For those of you curious a smoking Jager bomb is a traditional Jager bomb over dry ice. And you cannot inhale, otherwise you gag.**

**I know some people would be pretty pissed if their fiance went to a strip club and what not, however, I am not one of those people. So, I didn't write it like that ;)**

**Next is Bella's bachelorette party among other things...only one more chapter until the wedding :D**


	30. Chapter 30

**Thank you for the reviews! **

Chapter 30

Bella

"Oh, my God. That was amazing." I was so relaxed, I was surprised that I hadn't melted into a puddle on the floor.

"I know," Rose said, breathy. "Emmett tries, but he just can't compare."

We were sitting in the spa, waiting for Alice and Esme. We had all just had hour long massage sessions. To say it was heavenly, would be an understatement.

I looked over at Rose trying to get up and couldn't help but laugh softly.

"Shut up and help me, you bitch!" This caused me to laugh even harder.

"I'm sorry. It's just so funny seeing it from an outsider's perspective." I grabbed her hands and helped pull her up.

"Oh, ow." She grabbed her huge--there was no other way to describe it--stomach and grimaced.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. He's just gotten so big, so fast, that every part of my stomach hurts." She took a deep breath. "I just can't make sudden movements." She looked at me sideways. "So don't scare me."

I giggled. "Are you sure there's not more than one in there Rose?"

"God, I hope not. I don't think I could handle two. I already consider Emmett one of my kids." She laughed.

Alice flitted over to us. "Esme's done. Want to get pedicures now?"

"Sure."

We all went over to the chairs and waited while they set everything up for us. We were served fruit and mimosas--except for Rose, who was given water.

"So, who's watching Claire while you guys are on your honeymoon?" Esme looked over at me.

"I was assuming you were. Has Edward not said anything to you?"

She shook her head. "No. Not a word. Maybe he's asking one of your parents instead?"

I frowned. "I have no idea."

Alice snapped her cell phone shut and grinned. "Okay, girls. I've got us reservations for lunch. After we eat, do you girls want to do a little shopping?" We all groaned. "Oh, come on! Rosie, I know you don't have everything for that baby!"

"Almost. Just missing a couple of things. But it's nothing we'll need right away. I got pretty much everything at the baby shower."

"Rose, I'm so sorry I couldn't make it," I said, apologetically.

She waved me off. "Please. You had a newborn. No apologies necessary, Bella."

"Well, okay. If you're sure."

She gave me a smile. "I'm sure."

"Have you guys picked out a name yet?" Alice asked Rosalie.

"No. We can't decide. You know what Emmett's been calling him all this time?"

There was no telling. "No."

"Philbert." She snorted with laughter.

"Please tell me you're not naming my grandson Philbert." Esme looked appalled.

"Of course not! But I have no idea what we'll name him. Everything I pick Emmett immediately shoots down. He'll probably be two before we can finally agree on something." She pursed her lips.

"Well, maybe you'll decide on something when he gets here." I felt my cell phone buzz in my pocket. "Hang on a sec."

I looked down to see that Edward had sent me a text message.

_Where's Claire's pacifier?_

_In her bag in the side pocket. Is she giving you trouble?_

"Who is it?" Alice asked.

"Okay, nosy. It's Edward."

"Do you need to go back?" Esme asked.

"I don't know yet." I felt my phone buzz in my hand.

_Not much. I miss you. When are you coming back?_

I laughed and replied.

_It depends on whether or not Alice gets her way and we go shopping after lunch._

I looked back over at Esme who was waiting for me to let her know if Claire was all right or not.

"She's fine. I can't say the same for Edward though."

"What do you mean?" Esme's brows knit.

"Ha, well, Rosie? Do you know what your wonderful husband did to his brother last night?" I was not too pleased with my brother-in-law at the moment.

"No." She drug out the word slowly.

"Took him to a strip club." I held up my hand so no one interrupted. "Where Emmett proceeded to have one of the strippers pull Edward on stage, handcuff him and give him a lap dance _before_ spanking him with a studded belt." Every single one of their mouths dropped open. "Twenty-four times."

"Are you kidding me?" Alice asked.

"Nope. You should see him. His poor butt has little red marks all over it from the belt hitting him. He can barely sit down."

"Jesus, Bella. I'm so sorry. Emmett can be such an ass sometimes." Rosalie looked at me apologetically.

"It's not your fault."

"I bet Edward was so pissed," Alice said, giggling.

"Yep. I didn't say anything last night because he was angry enough for the both of us." I looked directly at Rose. "But I think some sort of retaliation is in order." I grinned wickedly.

"As you should. I love my son dearly, but he has got to learn that not everyone shares his sense of humor." Esme patted my hand.

"Thank you, Esme. By the way, how did they get home last night?" From what I judged of Edward last night, he was in no shape to drive home and I was pretty sure Emmett, Seth, and Jasper were in far worse condition than he was.

"Carlisle called them all cabs," Alice answered.

"Smart." I said, smiling.

We sat in silence and enjoyed having ourselves pampered for a while before Rosalie spoke.

"Hey, guys?" I looked over at Rosalie and saw that she looked terrified.

"What is it, Rosie?" Esme asked, concerned.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. But I think I'm in labor."

We all sat there with our mouths gaping open.

"Are you serious?" Alice squeaked.

"Yeah."

"But you seemed fine earlier!" I was freaking out a little. I was going to have to calm down.

"I've been having contractions on and off all day, but I didn't want to ruin your bachelorette party any more than I already have." She looked so guilty, I wanted to rush over and comfort her.

"You're not ruining my bachelorette party. I can't drink much anyway since I'm nursing. This is great! I got a massage," I looked down at my feet to see the girl had just finished, "and I got a pedicure. And I got to spend time with you guys. So please, don't feel bad."

She looked relieved. "Thanks, Bella."

"Are we all finished?" Alice looked at all of us.

"Yes, I believe we are." Esme answered.

"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's get her to the hospital!"

******************************

I looked up at the clock and saw that we had been sitting in the waiting room for over an hour. I was so nervous, I could barely concentrate on the game of Rummy we were playing.

"What is taking so long?" I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"It's all right, Bella. The baby is fairly large. She may have needed a c-section." Carlisle answered reassuringly.

"Yeah. Okay."

I heard Edward chuckle beside me. "Not everyone has it as easy as you did, love."

I glared at him. "You think that was easy?"

"No. I didn't say that. But you were in active labor for only six hours before Claire was born. That is phenomenal given the fact that she was your first." He smiled his crooked smile at me. "I couldn't have been more proud of you."

"Thanks," I muttered, blushing.

"Rummy!" Seth called out.

"Well, shit!" Jasper threw his abundance of cards down on the table. "I am totally screwed."

We added up our points and found that Edward was still in the lead with only thirty-five points and Seth was following closely behind him. Jasper took my spot in last place.

"Guys!"

We heard Emmett's loud voice calling from the hall. We all stood up, waiting for him to come through the doorway. When he finally did, he was beaming. He stood there for a minute, just looking at all of us.

"So?" Edward prompted.

"Oh, right. Sorry." If it was possible, his grin widened even more. "He's here! Rosie had to have a c-section. He was stuck in her pelvis, so that's why it took so long. Anyways, he weighs 9 lbs, 8 oz and is 21 inches long." _Jesus! He was three weeks early and still that big?!_

"Wow. He's huge. Guess he'll be a lineman like his daddy, huh?" Jasper smiled at Emmett.

"Yeah." Emmett was still smiling.

"Name? You guys have a name?" Alice asked excitedly.

"Yeah." Was that all he could say?

"Emmett! Spill!" Alice laughed at him.

"Right. Sorry. I'm just kind of in a daze." He looked at all of us before continuing. "His name is Gage Anthony Cullen."

I head Edward take a quick breath in. I looked over at him to see his eyes shining with tears. "Are you serious?"

"Of course. I named him after the best man I know." Emmett gave him a small smile back.

"Thank you." Edward walked over and gave Emmett a hug. "Congratulations, Em."

I looked around and saw that we all had tears in our eyes. I quickly wiped mine away and put my arms around Emmett.

"Well, shit! Now I can't be mad at you for last night anymore." My body shook with his deep laughter. "Congratulations, big brother," I mumbled into his chest.

"Thanks, little sis." I looked up at him and he winked.

Everyone gave Emmett their congratulations and we made our way to Rosalie's room. I took one look at Rose and scoffed.

"Are you kidding? You just went through," I looked at my watch," twelve hours of labor and had a c-section and you still look like a supermodel." I gave her a fake glare. "You seriously suck."

She just grinned smugly. "You love me."

"Maybe."

Everyone passed Gage around, cooing at him as they held him in their arms. When it was finally my turn, I cradled him and looked at his sweet, sleeping face. He was so round and chubby, and he looked just like Emmett. He opened his eyes and yawned, revealing Rose's ice blue eyes and Emmett's dimples. I watched him look around the room for a few seconds before settling back into sleep. I gently lifted the cap off his head and saw his dark brown curls underneath.

I felt Edward's strong arms wrap around my waist. "Hey, Aunt Bella."

I felt the smile stretch across my face. "Our nephew is the cutest little boy I have ever laid eyes on."

"Yes, he is." Edward kissed my hair and went to get Claire, who was beginning to cry in her carrier.

"So, you guys really don't mind that his middle name is Anthony?" Rosalie looked worried.

"What? No! Why would we?"

"Well, because if you ever have a boy..." she trailed off.

Edward flashed her a grin. "We still have my first name, Rosie."

Rosalie smile at Edward before she looked around the room. Her gaze landed on Alice and Jasper and I watched the glint appear in her eyes.

Alice caught the look she was giving them. "What?"

Rose gave her a mischievous smile. "You're next."

Jasper went pale. "What? Wait, no! Seth's not even married yet! Why don't you give him hell about getting married instead of worrying about when Alice and I are going to have a baby?!"

"I'm not getting married any time soon, Jazz. I've still got two years of grad school left." Seth grinned triumphantly. "So it looks like you're up to bat."

"Shit!" he whined.

"Jazz! Relax!" Alice smacked his shoulder playfully. "Is it that bad of a thing to have a baby with your wife?"

"Well, no. But.." He ran his hands over his face and looked at Alice seriously. "Do you want a baby?"

"Yeah, in a couple years." He exhaled in relief causing Alice to laugh. "Silly Jasper."

Jasper looked embarrassed. "Sorry. I just like being Uncle Jazz for now."

"It's okay, Jazz. We understand." I gave him a quick wink.

"Thanks, Bells."

*****************************

"Are you checking her carrier or using it on the plane?" Esme was taking Claire out of her carrier since she was beginning to fuss.

"Using it on the plane." I grabbed my purse and Claire's diaper bag out of the car and turned to Esme. "I'm sorry we can't stay any longer. Edward has meetings lined up every day this week and I have a meeting with my publisher on Tuesday."

I really hated that we had to go home now that Gage had been born.

She waved me off with her free hand. "We all understand, Bella. How is everything going with your book?"

I smiled. "Great. They're talking about getting it to print in a couple of weeks. So far, everyone is giving it good reviews."

"That's fantastic! Has Edward read it yet?"

"No." I looked over towards the check-in counter at him. "I wanted him to see it as a finished product when he read it. And I know this sounds terrible, but I didn't want him to read it until I knew it was worth it. Edward would tell me it was great even if it was the worst book ever written."

"It's not terrible. Carlisle is the same way." She gave me a wink.

"We're all set, love." Edward walked over to me and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

"Well, I suppose the next time we'll see you will be at the wedding." Carlisle smiled warmly at me.

"Yeah." I was getting nervous just thinking about it.

"Relax, Bella. You'll be fine." My nerves must have been obvious.

"Thanks, Esme."

Carlisle and Esme gave Edward and I hugs before cooing over Claire. Just as Esme passed Claire to me, we heard a crowd of people shouting.

"Dr. Cullen! Dr. Cullen!"

I saw the anger flash in Edwards eyes as he reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. Within seconds we were surrounded by reporters. They snapped our pictures furiously, causing Claire to start screaming.

"Edward? What's going on?" I knew my eyes were wide with fear. There was no way to get around all of these people.

He wrapped his arms around me. "I'm so sorry, Bella." His eyes held so much sorrow, I thought my heart would break apart.

"Excuse me, but what seems to be the urgency? There's no new information concerning the foundation." Carlisle asked, diplomatically.

The all ignored Carlisle. "Ms. Swan! How does it feel to marry one of the world's most sought after physicians?"

I looked at the woman with the platinum blond hair. "What?" _Sought after?_

"Surely you're aware that _People_ magazine has named him one of the fifty most beautiful people in the world. Women love him!" I was vaguely aware of Edward mentioning something about it a few days ago.

"Uh.." I couldn't think. Claire was still screaming in my arms since the flashing of the cameras hadn't slowed down once.

I just bounced her in my arms, hoping that she would calm down. Couldn't they see that they were scaring her? I could feel the tears start to build in my eyes as they just kept coming at us with question after question after question. They were never going to stop.

Another reporter turned to Edward. "Why did you keep your relationship with Ms. Swan a secret?"

Edward was fuming. "Why? This is why!" Carlisle put a hand on his shoulder, silently telling him to calm down. "Look, you're scaring my daughter. Do you mind holding the photos for a moment?" He gave him his most dazzling smile.

The flashing lights slowly stopped as Edward turned to me and Claire. He rubbed soothing circles on her temples as his large hands cradled her head.

"Take Claire and get on the plane," he ordered, handing me our boarding passes.

"What? Edward, I'm not leaving you," I stubbornly protested.

"Tell the flight attendant at the gate what has happened. See if you can get her to hold the plane for five extra minutes if I'm not there. I'm going to have to take care of this, otherwise, they'll never leave us alone." I nodded. "You understand it will be like this when we get home, don't you?"

"Yeah," I said weakly. _Is this what my life is going to be like from now on?_ "Edward, I don't want to be trapped in our house because they won't leave us alone." My chin was trembling with my tears. I was terrified.

Edward ran his fingers through my hair. "That's what I'm going to try my best to keep from happening." He looked deeply into my eyes. "I will do everything I can to keep you and Claire safe."

"I know." My voice was low with my tears.

He placed a tender kiss on my lips, causing the cameras to click feverishly again. "I'm so sorry."

I gave him a small smile. "You said that already."

"I did, didn't I?" he smirked. He put his forehead against mine. "Go, I'll be there as soon as I can."

I quickly threw my purse and Claire's diaper bag on my shoulder and bent down to get Claire's carrier but it wasn't there.

I looked around in confusion and saw Esme holding it. "I'm going with you until you get to the gate. Some of them are going to follow you."

I nodded and we made our way through the crowd of reporters to the doors. Sure enough, half of the reporters followed us, yelling their questions as we made our way to the security check in.

"Keep your back to them while we wait," Esme instructed.

I fumbled for my driver's license as we waited in line. The reporters never stopped snapping photos of our backs and asking questions. Luckily, Claire wasn't screeching like she was before. Instead, she was wiggling and fussing in my arms.

"Shh, baby. It's all right. We'll be away from them in a minute." I gently swung her in my arms.

"Hey, are you famous or something?" I looked to see a man with red hair standing behind me.

"I guess I am now," I muttered.

"Well, how come I've never seen you." He looked around at the scene in front of him in disapproval.

I moved forward a few steps. "Because my fiancé has kept us very well hidden."

"Who's your fiance?" he asked, curiously. "Some fancy movie star?" He laughed.

He'd find out as soon as the magazines went to print anyways. "Edward Cullen, with the Cullen Foundation.

The man's eyes widened. "No kidding! Wow. Those Cullen's are really something else." He looked at the reporters behind me, still yelling my name. "I'm really sorry you're having to go through this. Especially with a baby." He looked over at the reporters. "Hey! You should back off! You're scaring the kid!"

He was ignored. "Thanks for trying."

It was my turn to go through security. Esme held Claire for me while I took off my shoes and jewelry and placed my bags in the bins while the security guard looked at Claire's carrier. I took Claire back from Esme and we walked through the metal detector while Esme ducked out of line.

I grabbed my belongings and looked back at Esme. "Thank you! I love you! Tell Edward I made it through all right!"

I had never said that to her before, but after today, there was no need for me to keep it a secret. She was the most comforting, nurturing, loving person I had ever met. She was my mother--it was as simple as that.

She beamed at me. "Okay! I love you, Bella! I'll talk to you later!"

I went to the nearest row of seats and snapped Claire into her carrier before making my way to the gate. When I finally got there, I looked at the clock on the wall and noted there was only fifteen minutes until they would start boarding. I looked around and found the flight attendant. I went over to her and started explaining the situation to her. At first, she didn't look like she would help me in any way, but after looking me over and seeing how completely frazzled I was, she reluctantly agreed.

"Five minutes is all I can promise."

I breathed out in relief. "Thank you."

I found an empty seat and plopped down in it. I heard the flight attendant announce that they were now boarding passengers and sat there while everyone else started getting up and moving around me.

I sat there and buried my head in my hands. What if Edward couldn't find a way to keep the reporters away? I couldn't expose my daughter to this kind of insanity on a day to day basis. But I wasn't willing to give up Edward either. We would move someplace remote if we had to. Someplace where they wouldn't come after us.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up. "Miss? We need you and your daughter to board the plane now. I can't hold it any longer."

I nodded my head and got up. I grabbed Claire and my bags and followed the flight attendant to the jetway. As I was handing her my boarding pass, I heard Edward yelling from behind me.

"Bella!" I whirled around and saw him running towards us. "I'm so sorry I took so long. I had to promise everything under the sun to get them to leave us alone." He quickly handed his pass to the flight attendant. "Thank you for holding the flight. I apologize for the inconvenience."

She nodded her head and scanned his boarding pass.

"So, they're not going to be waiting for us in Seattle?"

"No." He smiled tentatively at me. "I had to promise _People_ an interview. With both of us."

I felt the blood drain from my face. The thought of being in a magazine read by millions of people scared the hell out of me.

"Oh, God." Edward took Claire from me and helped me into my seat.

He put Claire in the aisle seat and sat down next to me. After we were both buckled up, he ran his hand across my thigh.

"If there was any other way around it, I would have done it. But they wanted an interview with you." He smirked at me. "Apparently, you're a hot commodity."

I looked at him, puzzled. "What?"

"Your book is getting a lot of hype. They expect it to debut at the top of the _Times_ Best Seller List." He was grinning from ear to ear.

It was all I could do not to scream at the top of my lungs. "Are you kidding me?" I whispered, excitedly. This must've been what my publisher wanted to meet with me about.

"Nope." He squeezed my thigh. "If they hadn't found out you and I were a quote/unquote item, there wouldn't have been this huge media circus to send us off. They couldn't resist getting the scoop on this year's hottest author marrying one of their fifty most beautiful people. Word got around that _People _wanted us--bad--and all the other magazines came running to try and steal their story."

"Holy shit." I couldn't seem to process this. I was going to be on the _New York Times_ Best Seller List.

"I told you, my wife is going to be a famous writer." I looked at his smiling face.

"What are we going to do about Claire?" I couldn't let my daughter's life be ruined because of the public's fascination with her parents.

"Nobody will bother Claire. I-" He stopped and looked at me reluctantly.

"Just say it, Edward." I had a feeling I wasn't going to like this.

He pursed his lips and continued. "Okay. We have to give them a joint interview, like I said. It's going to be the cover and they want photos of our house and of us with Claire." I nodded, it was something I expected since they'd seen her. "They want to take photos of our wedding and do a little article on it for the issue coming out the week of Christmas." I groaned. It was going to become a spectacle. "As long as we are..." He trailed off, looking for the proper word. "...popular, they're going to want exclusive interviews about anything that happens in our lives and careers. Examples would be some new thing with the foundation, you putting out a new book, us having another child. Things like that."

"Wait. The professional things I can handle. But if and when we have another _baby_? Edward, we're not movie stars! Why would anyone care besides our friends and family whether or not we have any more kids!"

He looked at me seriously. "It doesn't matter, Bella. The editor thinks that as long as you're a successful writer and I'm a public figure, their readers will want to know." He looked like he didn't want to tell me what he was about to say. "And I can't guarantee that there won't be paparazzi watching us from now on. It won't be so bad when we're alone, but when we're together as a couple or a family it might get pretty bad at times. But they can never follow our children or you when you're alone with them--that was part of our agreement. However, if this...this fame thing hasn't died down in a couple of years when we decide to have another baby, they won't honor our agreement while you're pregnant. They _will_ follow you around everywhere, trying to get a shot of your...what do they call it?"

"Baby bump," I groaned. The thought of being in magazines looking fat and swollen was not appealing to me. "All right, no more kids then."

He laughed. "There wasn't anything I could do about that. Celebrities having babies is too hot of an item right now for them to even think about negotiating with me." He looked at me seriously. "Do you still want to marry me? Even with all this?"

My eyes snapped up to his and I felt my mouth pop open. "Edward! Of course I still want to marry you! Why wouldn't I?"

"I didn't know if you'd change your mind now that all this is going to be hanging over our heads," he said, sadly.

"I love you. Nothing is going to keep me away from you. If it gets too bad, we'll move."

He ran his gaze across my face. "You're right. If it gets too bad, I'll move us to someplace like Tibet. You have no idea how many places there are to hide there. And it's beautiful, Bella. You'd love it."

I grinned. "All right, Tibet it is. We can go live with the monks."

He laughed and leaned down to kiss me. "Isabella Swan? How did I manage to find someone as beautiful, smart, funny, and understanding as you? You are the most incredible person I have ever met in my life. I love you."

I bit my lip and blushed. "I love you," I managed to say, before his lips attacked mine.

**I have NOT written the wedding chapter yet, usually I'm a chapter or two ahead, so it may take me a few extra days to get the next update up...**


	31. Chapter 31

**Thanks for the reviews! I wrote this chapter in something like an hour(?) and decided to throw it in. It's sort of just filler, but I thought I'd post it while I'm writing the wedding chapter ;)**

Chapter 31

Bella

So far, all had been quiet in Seattle. Apparently, the editors at _People_ were keeping to their word.

I fidgeted with the hem of the navy blue wrap dress Alice had picked out for me while I waited impatiently for the reporter to get here. Edward was dressed in a pair of jeans and a button-down that matched my dress, and Alice had put Claire in an off-white dress with little dark pink flowers embroidered all over it. We looked nice, yet casual.

I looked over to see him playing with Claire on the floor, helping her roll over. She was so close, but just couldn't seem to get it.

He looked at me and grinned. "She's almost got it."

"I see that." I gave him a small smile. I was very excited that Claire was hitting another milestone, but I couldn't seem to get it to show.

"Are you all right?" He picked Claire up and brought her over to me.

I took her from him and place a small kiss on the top of her head, breathing in her wonderful scent. She smelled like the most incredible mixture of Edward and that sweet baby smell.

"I'm just nervous," I said, blushing.

"You'll be fantastic. You always are."

"Thanks. Hey, listen. If they ask a lot of detailed questions about the book, I want you to leave the room."

He looked at me, confused. "Why?"

"Just trust me on this."

I was giving Edward the first copy of my book as a wedding gift. He was my inspiration and the reason I wrote the book in the first place; it only seemed fitting to give him the very first copy ever printed. I couldn't wait for him to read it and see the dedication I had written to him. _Just three more weeks,_ I thought to myself.

He looked like he wanted to question me, but chose not to. "All right."

The doorbell rang and I felt the nerves flutter in my stomach. I gripped Claire tightly and took a deep breath. Edward gave me a quick kiss on the lips before turning to answer the door. I had meant to follow him, but I couldn't get my feet to cooperate.

"Bella? Love? This is the reporter, Emily Uley, and her husband, Sam, the photographer."

I turned to see two familiar faces walking towards me. Emily's long, black hair went down to her waist and her black eyes sparkled in her beautiful face. I looked over at Sam and noticed his hair was cropped shorter, but he was still as tall, dark, and handsome as he had been when I lived in Forks.

"Emily! You married Sam!" I ran over to her and gave her a hug. "I didn't know you were a journalist now!"

"Bella! I was hoping it was you. I couldn't tell from the pictures they gave me. You're so gorgeous! Not that you weren't before, but my God, you're stunning!"

I felt my face flush in embarrassment, but ignored it. "So are you! You look exactly the same!"

She looked down at Claire and rubbed her cheek, earning a smile from her. "Your daughter is beautiful, Bella." She looked over at Sam. "Sam, we need one of these!"

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, chuckling.

I looked over at Sam and gave him a warm smile. "You look great, Sam."

"Thanks, Bells. So do you." He grinned at me. "Mind if I set up over here?" He pointed to the Christmas tree.

"No, go on ahead," Edward answered.

I went over to Edward, grinning like a fool, and gave him a quick hug. "Sam hung out with Jake on the reservation. He and Emily dated then and I hung out with her a lot at her house. She and I practically lived together when Alice was dating Dane since they were inseparable."

He smiled warmly at Emily. "It's very nice to meet you."

"And you." Emily looked around the room. "Mind if we sit over here?" she asked, pointing to the couch and chairs.

"Not at all." We all walked over and took seats, Edward sitting next to Claire and me, and Emily sitting in one of the chairs, her body facing towards us.

"If you guys don't mind, I'm going to let you catch up and do your thing while I grab some shots of the other rooms in the house." Sam held a camera in his hand, waiting for our response.

"Not at all. Feel free. And help yourself to something to drink while you're in the kitchen," Edward said smiling at Sam. He looked at Emily. "Would you like something before we start?"

"No, thanks. So, I'll just start asking questions and then we can play catch up once I've done my job." She held up a tape recorder and pushed the button. "I'm going to record the interview, in case I miss something." She gave us a smile as she placed it on the coffee table.

"Okay," I said. I was beginning to get nervous again.

"Edward, I'll start with you. First of all, congratulations on being named one of _People's_ fifty most beautiful people."

He cleared his throat. "Thank you."

She smiled. "You seem a little uncomfortable. Why?"

"Well, while I appreciate the publicity this gives the foundation, I don't understand why I was chosen to be on that list. I'm just an ER doctor from Seattle. Until almost a year ago, no one outside of my family, friends, and co-workers even knew I existed." He gave her a smile that could knock you off your feet.

She laughed. "Because of that, Dr. Cullen, right there. You have no idea the effect you have on women. After our first interview with you and your father, the number of e-mails and letters from women across the country asking if you were single and where they could find you in Seattle was astonishing. We've never had anything like it. Normally, when we receive that kind of response from our readers, it's because of a well known figure in the entertainment industry who already has a large fan base."

Edward ran his hand through his hair. "Really?" I knew this was making him a little nervous.

Emily sensed it as well and merely nodded before asking another question. "When did you meet Bella?"

"September of last year." He ran his hand over my thigh.

"How did you two meet?"

"I actually stitched up Bella's hand," Edward said, smiling warmly.

"Oh?" Emily turned to me. "And what did you do to it?"

"I cut it with a knife while making dinner," I said, sheepishly.

"Well, now, _that_ doesn't surprise me," she said, chuckling. "So, did you ask her out then?"

"No. I actually didn't ask her out until she came to have the stitches removed." He looked at me and grinned.

"When was the moment you fell in love with Bella?"

"The moment I laid eyes on her," he said simply.

"Is that so?" She looked at me. "Bella?"

"Same here."

She looked at us both and smiled. "Love at first sight, wow. So, when did you two first say those three magic words?"

Edward wrapped his arm around me and slowly ran his fingers up and down my arm. "On our first date." Emily's eyes widened. "It slipped out, but I was fortunate enough that Bella felt the same."

"So tell me a little about your courtship."

Edward told her everything, with so much love in his voice, I felt my face light up and my heart swell in my chest. Even after all this time, it was still unfathomable to me that he felt as strongly for me as I did for him.

She was grinning now. "When did you pop the question, Edward?"

"The day after I told her I was leaving to help my parents start the foundation."

She looked at me. "How did that feel? Knowing the man you loved was going to be unavailable to you for months?"

"It was hard. But I love him and thought he was a better man for wanting to do something so important." I felt him squeeze me tighter against his body.

"When you two were apart, how did that feel?"

"Like I'd left my heart in Seattle. The entire time I was gone, my body actually ached for Bella. I didn't eat, didn't sleep. I don't know how I lasted as long as I did," Edward said solemnly.

I felt the tears sting my eyes as I heard his answer. "I was miserable. I felt like I couldn't breathe without him." I remembered the pain in my chest clearly. I never wanted to feel that way again.

"I'm sorry I have to ask about it, Bella."

I quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes with my free hand. "It's okay. I usually don't think about all that time he was away."

"When did you find out you were going to have a baby?"

"About a month after Edward left for China." I looked down at Claire, who had fallen asleep, and smiled to myself.

"Wow. That must have been hard," she prompted.

"It was."

It continued like this for what felt like hours, Emily asking a question about our relationship, feelings, jobs, life with a baby, the wedding. She even tried to sneak in a few question about the honeymoon, which Edward immediately dismissed, telling her that it was a surprise for me and he wasn't about to spoil it with only three weeks left.

"You actually let him surprise you with something?" Emily asked in shock.

I shrugged. "He does whatever he pleases when it comes to me. I learned that it's best just to let him have his way. He always gets it anyways." I looked at Edward and smiled lovingly.

"I want to ask you a few questions about the book."

"Okay."

I felt Edward move away from me, getting up off the couch and taking Claire from my arms.

"If you're finished with me, I'm going to give Bella a break from holding her." He cradled Claire in his arms and waited for Emily's answer.

"Sure. I don't think there's any other questions I need from you. If I think of something else, I'll let you know."

He nodded his head and glanced at me before walking out of the room. I immediately felt guilty--even more than I already had been--for keeping this from him and could only hope that once he knew the reason why, he would understand.

"Did I miss something?" Emily asked, curiously.

"Off the record?"

She smiled. "Yep."

"I'm giving Edward the first printed copy of the book as a wedding gift. I haven't let him see any part of it yet. I wanted him to see it as a whole; with the dedication, title, cover art, everything when he read it. He was the reason I wrote it. I asked him to trust me and leave the room if we began talking about it." I scrubbed my face with my hands. "I don't know how much longer I can keep it from him."

"It's a great idea, Bella." She leaned over and patted my hand. "It'll work out."

I exhaled sharply. "Thanks."

"So, let's get back to it, shall we?"

******************************

Edward

I politely left the room when Emily began asking questions about Bella's book, but really, I was screaming inside. I wanted to know something--anything-- about it. Bella had been so secretive about it, not once letting me see any part of it, and I was now beginning to wonder why. We never kept anything from one another. And I wanted to be there for her, in any way possible, while she dealt with this new beginning in her life. If I was honest, I felt shut out. How could she not tell her fiancé about something so incredibly important?

But this was Bella. She wouldn't keep something from me without good reason. I just had to do as she said and trust her. As impossible as it seemed, I could do it.

The book was scheduled to hit the stands the week after the wedding. If Bella still hadn't let me see it, I would just sneak out to a local bookstore while we were on our honeymoon and buy one myself. The wait was killing me; I couldn't wait to read what my beautiful angel had written from her heart.

I paced in the kitchen for something like twenty minutes before Sam came in.

"Dr. Cullen." He looked at me in confusion. "I thought you were still working on the article?"

"Emily is talking to Bella about her book and I thought I'd give her a break from holding Claire. She tends to get heavy after a while." It wasn't a complete lie.

"Oh. You have an awesome house." He looked around the kitchen in awe.

"Thank you," I said politely.

I felt Claire stir in my arms and looked down to see her open her eyes and yawn sleepily. I shifted her so that she was no longer in the crook of my elbow and was instead propped up on my shoulder looking around.

"So, how do you like being a father?" Sam asked as he watched me with Claire.

I felt the smile stretch across my face. "It's wonderful. I can't imagine my life without her. Or Bella, for that matter." He smiled at my answer. "You should try it."

"I think I just might." He held the camera in front of him. "Mind if I take a few candids?"

"Of course not. That's what you're here for."

The camera clicked furiously as I stood there, playing with Claire. I had brought her back down so that I could see her face and was cooing to her, causing her to smile as she watched me.

"I guess I could just wait and find out when the article comes out, but how did you meet Bella?"

"She came in to my ER with a laceration in her palm and I was the doctor who stitched it up." I tried to smooth Claire's hair down a little. The poor child had my cowlicks.

He chuckled. "Leave it to Bella to hurt herself and meet her future husband."

"I know." I looked over at him. "I'm very thankful that you and your wife are doing the article. Bella was extremely nervous about this. She doesn't like to be the center of attention. Well, I guess you know that."

He grinned. "I can only imagine. From what I understand, this book of hers is going to be huge. Like, _Harry Potter_ and _Twilight_ huge. I guess she's going to have to get used to it."

I felt my brows knit. I had no idea what it was about, only that it was a bit romantic in nature. "They're comparing her to Nicholas Sparks."

"Seriously? The guy who wrote _The Notebook_?"

I laughed at Sam's expression. "Yep. That's the guy."

"Damn. Emily loves that book. And the movie." He rolled his eyes.

"What girl doesn't?"

******************************

I heard a knock on the door as I was fixing my tie. I looked over at Bella, who was nursing Claire.

"Who the hell is that at seven am?"

She laughed. "Go find out!"

I chuckled as I went to open the door, only to see that there was no one there. I looked around and saw the FedEx truck slowly backing down the driveway. I looked down to see a fairly large box addressed to Bella and a letter sized envelope addressed to me.

I brought both back to the bedroom with me and set them on the bed.

"The box is yours." I said as I looked over at her. She was trying to get Claire to burp.

"Don't you dare touch that Edward Cullen," she snapped.

I looked at her in surprise. "Um, I wasn't?"

She laughed. "Sorry. Your wedding gift is in there."

"Is that so?" I asked slyly, cocking my eyebrow.

"Yes, it is. No peeking." She was trying to keep a straight face. "What do you have?"

"I'm not sure." I opened the envelope and pulled the magazine out. "Oh."

We had been sent a copy of _People_ with our faces plastered all over the cover. I read the cover and snorted. _America's Hottest Doctor Gets Personal. _Yeah, right. _Our in depth interview with Edward Cullen and his love, author Isabella Cullen._ I felt my face light up at Bella's name.

"What is it?"

"You used my name!" I exclaimed.

"What?" She put Claire in her bouncer and walked over to me, looking at the cover. "Oh, God. They sent us one?"

I pointed to her name. "You didn't say Swan."

"Well, of course I didn't!" She looked at me like it was obvious.

"But, we're not married yet." I was a little confused.

"Well, my publisher asked me what pen name I wanted to use. I thought about it and decided that if I actually make a career out of this writing thing, I wanted my personal name to match my professional name. And I knew how important it was to you that I take your name." She blushed. "And I want the world to know I'm yours."

She looked down at the floor. How this woman, after over a year of being with me, was still embarrassed to tell me how she felt was beyond me.

I pulled her face back up to mine. "This," I held the magazine out in front of me," this is better than any gift you could ever get me."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure, Edward. I'm pretty sure you'll like your wedding present." She had a sexy smirk on her face.

"What have you got up your sleeve?" I asked, huskily. That smirk was making me hard.

"Nothing," she said, innocently. "I just have a couple of things to give you on our wedding night. That's all." Her eyes were wide, staring into mine.

I crushed my lips against hers. "Fuck work," I mumbled.

She giggled against my lips and pulled back. "I don't think so. You only have two more weeks until you're taking me to God-knows-where. You need to make sure everything is finished and in order before we go."

"Bella," I warned.

"Edward," she said back, playfully.

I pushed myself into her and watched her eyes roll back in her head a little. "Please? I can be late."

"Nope. Save it for tonight." She wiggled free, taking the magazine from my hand, and walked over to the bed.

"Damnit!" I adjusted myself and saw her trying not to laugh.

"Since you have a few minutes before you go, do you want to look at the photos with me?" She looked at me sweetly. She knew what she was doing to me.

"Fine."

I went over to her and we flipped through the magazine until we found a picture of us, grinning down at Claire, on our bed.

"Oh, my God." I could hear the tears in Bella's voice. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah." It was amazing. Sam had captured our joy in that moment.

She flipped the page and gasped. "When did he take this?"

She pointed to one of the pictures of me playing with Claire in the kitchen. "While you were talking to Emily about your book."

She sniffled. "She looks just like you."

I smiled. "You already knew that."

I quickly scanned the article, looking for any detail about her book, but found none. Every question--every answer--was vague. I guess Bella was not only keeping her book a secret from me, but from the rest of the world as well.

We turned the page and looked at the next picture of Bella and I together in front of the tree. I had her chin in my fingers, forcing her to look at me, while my other hand was wrapped around her waist. The love that radiated from her face took my breath away. I knew she loved me, but somehow in our everyday moments, I had missed this.

"Look at how you're looking at me. Like I'm the only one in the room," she whispered.

"You are. Nothing else exists when I'm with you. I told you that." I cupped her face in my hand and felt her lean into it. "Now you have proof."

She bit her lip and I saw a tear fall down her cheek. "I love you, Edward Cullen."

I smiled broadly. "As I love you, Isabella Swan."

"Ah, Cullen," she corrected.

"Not yet."

She waved her hand in front of her. "Minor details."

I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers, only to be interrupted by Alice storming through the door.

"Bella! Strip those jammies off! I've got an appointment at ten!" She stopped and looked at me. "Edward! I thought you were supposed to gone by now!"

She held a garment bag tightly against her chest, guarding it like it was the crown jewels.

I laughed. "Usually, I am." I eyed the bag. I was pretty sure I knew what was in there. "We got a copy of the magazine and were looking at it."

"Oh." She still hadn't loosened her grip on the bag. "Well, you need to get the hell out of here. Now!"

She hung the bag in the closet and then tugged me off the bed. _Holy shit, she's strong!_

"Alice! Calm down! He'll leave in a second!" Bella was annoyed, yet amused at the same time.

"Bella! I have an important meeting in..." She looked at her watch. "Less than three hours! I can't be late! He's got to go!"

I held up my hands in defeat. "I'm going, I'm going!"

I leaned over to kiss Bella goodbye, but was pulled away by Alice.

I glared at her. "Alice, if you don't calm the fuck down, so help me I will sit here all morning long and make you late for your _appointment_."

She looked at me and then at Bella, then started laughing at herself. "Sorry! I'm just nervous! I've got an appointment to meet with the governor's wife to style her for some political ball thingy that's going on tonight. I'm freaking out!"

"Alice, you'll be great. You always are. Look at this." Bella held the magazine out in front of her, showing her the first picture in the article.

"Wow, you guys look great!" She flipped through the article, grinning from ear to ear.

"And look." Bella pointed to something she said in the interview. "I gave you full credit."

"Holy shit, Bells!" She wrapped her arms around Bella, hugging her tightly. "Thank you!"

Bella laughed. "You're welcome. Now can I please tell my fiancé goodbye properly and then I'll be your mannequin for as long as you need."

"Kay." She started out of the room. "No peeking," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"I promise." I rolled my eyes.

"So, I'll miss you while you're gone." Bella wrapped her arms around my waist.

I nuzzled her neck. "I'll miss you more. Have fun with Ali."

"Yeah, right."

I chuckled softly. "I'll see you when I get home."

I walked over to Claire and gave her a quick kiss in her hair before making my way to the garage. I got to the kitchen and saw Alice grabbing a Diet Coke out of the fridge.

"Why don't you just drink the real thing? It's not like you need to watch your weight or anything," I teased.

"Shut it, Eddie. I don't like regular Cokes."

I laughed to myself. "See ya later, Ali."

"Bye!" She smiled brightly at me.

I hopped in my car and started towards the hospital. _Two weeks._ Two weeks until I saw my beautiful Bella walking down the aisle, dressed in white, taking my hand and joining me in our forever.

**OK--so I have some new ideas for B & E and I want to continue the story. I'm thinking a sequel...something that focuses on B & E dealing with their new found fame, etc. Let me know what you think!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thanks for the reviews! So, I'm definitely doing a sequel. I just have to decide what all to put in it...I have a TON of ideas for it! It will circle around them dealing with their newfound fame, but there's also going to be some drama and romance involved ;)**

**I looked and looked online for things before I wrote this. I just finished it about ten minutes ago, but wanted to post it as soon as possible.**

**There are links on my profile for a few things I described. Now--ON WITH THE WEDDING! **

Chapter 32

Bella

"Are you all packed?" I bit my lip anxiously.

I was standing in our bedroom, watching Edward as he gathered everything he needed and threw it in a duffle bag.

"I think so. Ali gave Jasper my tux, so I don't need to worry about that." He thought for a moment. "Yep, I think I've got it."

He walked over to me and pulled me in his arms. I leaned into him, inhaling his scent greedily. I wouldn't see him again until tomorrow afternoon. Alice and Esme had arranged for all the men to stay at Alice and Jasper's house, while all the women stayed here with me and Claire.

"I don't want you to go," I pouted.

He chuckled. "I don't want to go either, but we're going to do this the right way." He pulled my face up so that his green eyes bore into mine. "I'll meet you at the altar, love."

I felt my face break out into a wide smile. "Holy shit, we're getting married tomorrow!"

He chuckled softly. "Are you just now realizing that?"

"No." I rolled my eyes. "I'm just excited."

He took my face in his hands and kissed me softly. "I know I've told you this before, but I can't wait to make you my wife."

I smiled at him. "Only sixteen more hours to go, Dr. Cullen."

His eyebrows shot up. "Are you counting down, Mrs. Cullen?"

I loved the way that sounded. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am."

We heard a knock on the door and both turned to see who it was.

"Sorry to break up the love fest, but Jasper's ready to go." Alice came in with Claire in her arms.

"All right." Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled my neck. "I'll miss you," he murmured.

"I'll miss you, too."

I stood on my toes and kissed Edward passionately, our lips instinctively moving together perfectly. He pulled away and left the room, quickly kissing Claire's hair on his way.

I plopped down on the bed. "Can I just go to sleep? It'll make tomorrow get here much faster."

On one hand, I was extremely excited to finally marry Edward. On the other, I was a nervous, anxious wreck. The thought of walking down the aisle in my dress in front of all those people was intimidating. I was positive I was going to trip.

"Oh, who am I kidding? I won't be able to sleep anyways." I exhaled sharply.

"You are too funny, Bella."

"Gee, thanks," I muttered, sarcastically.

******************************

"Bella? Bella, wake up! You've got to start getting ready!"

I cracked open one eye and saw Alice peering down at me.

"Oh, come on! Just five more minutes!" I groaned.

"I've already let you sleep in until ten."

"So?" I asked.

I had tossed and turned all night; I was exhausted. Between visions of meeting Edward at the altar and living happily ever after with Claire and visions of falling flat on my face, knocking over the cake, Edward not showing up--you name it, I thought of it--I had barely gotten three full hours of sleep.

I reluctantly sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes, yawning.

"Good Lord, Bella! What did you do all night? You look like someone ran over you with their car before knocking you in the face with their tire iron!"

I chuckled bleakly at Alice. "I couldn't sleep. Too nervous, excited, whatever." I didn't know what I was feeling.

"You don't have cold feet, do you Bells?"

"About Edward? Never." I shook my head. "About making a complete and total fool out of myself today? Yes."

"Hmm. Bella, you'll be fine. I promise." She gave me a small smile. "I was like this when Jasper and I got married, too. Remember?"

Oh, did I ever. That little pixie was running around screaming all day long. She completely freaked out. I thought I was going to have to medicate her before she finally got to the church and walked down the aisle. As soon as she saw Jasper, it was all her father could do to keep her from running full speed towards him.

I laughed at the memory. "Yeah, I remember."

"See? It's normal. Now, Esme made you breakfast and then I need you to hop in the shower." I opened my mouth to say something but was interrupted. "I know what you're getting ready to say. Don't worry about Claire, she's in good hands. Your mother already fed her this morning and she and Esme are going to watch her and Gage today while we get ready."

_How does she do that?_ "Okay."

After I ate, I brushed my teeth and got in the shower, letting the water beat down my back until it ran cold. I got out, feeling a bit more relaxed and threw on a pair of old jeans and one of Edward's button down shirts. I brushed my hair out and headed back downstairs.

"So, what's on the agenda today wedding planner?" I asked Alice as I stepped in the kitchen.

Renee had put Claire in her bouncer on the table and I walked over to her and bent down to kiss her short, bronze curls.

"You get to sit there and relax while Rosalie and I get ready. When I'm done getting ready, I'll paint your toenails and then fix your hair. We'll put your makeup on at the church just before you get dressed."

I nodded, thankful I didn't have an entire day of torture ahead of me. Alice had done most of it over the last couple of days.

"Edward left your wedding present on the counter over there." Esme pointed to a small box sitting on the counter.

"Ooh, what did you get?" Rosalie asked, grinning.

"Let's see."

I walked over and grabbed the box, carefully ripping the paper off and gasping as I opened the small, velvet box. Inside was a pair of diamond briolette chandelier earrings from Harry Winston. I was completely speechless; it was the most beautiful thing I had ever been given.

I opened the card and felt the tears fill my eyes.

_I'm counting the minutes until I can see your smiling face walking down the aisle and taking my hand._

_I love you forever,_

_Edward_

"Oh, wow! Bella! These will go great with the bracelet Edward gave you!" I looked over at Alice who was grinning widely.

"Now you have something new to go with your something borrowed and old," Rosalie stated.

I had planned to borrow Rosalie's necklace and Esme's ring that matched my bracelet for the wedding.

"Now I just need something blue," I sniffled. I looked down at the earrings and shook my head. "How much do you think these things cost?"

Esme laughed. "You don't want to know, dear."

I looked at her with my mouth hanging open and nodded. She was probably right.

"Well, now I feel like an ass. I didn't spend any money on Edward's gift."

Alice scowled. "Bella! None of that! That has got to be the most romantic thing I've ever heard anyone else give a person. He'll love it more than anything you could have ever bought him."

I nodded and took a deep breath. I glanced at Claire who was playing happily in her bouncer, trying to grab the butterfly that dangled in front of her face.

"Does anyone care if I take a nap?" I looked around and got no protests. "Okay. I'm exhausted." I yawned. "I was too wound up to sleep last night so I'm going to catch some sleep before Alice starts working on me."

Alice looked at the clock. "You've got two hours before I've got to fix your hair. We need to leave no later than two-thirty so I can get your makeup on and we can get you in your dress and down the aisle at four."

"All right. See you then."

******************************

I woke up to Angela Weber gently tapping my arm. After Edward had run into Ben Cheney at his bachelor party last month, he had decided it wouldn't feel right for Ben not to be in the wedding. I had to scramble to find someone to be a third bridesmaid. Angela was the first person I thought of.

"Bella, you've got to get ready now. Your friend Alice is downstairs flipping out about only having an hour and a half to get your hair fixed."

I laughed. "Okay. Hey Angela?" She looked at me expectantly. "Thank you so much for doing this on such a short notice."

"Of course!" She gave me a warm smile. "I'm just glad you thought of me."

"You were the first person I thought of," I told her honestly.

"So, who am I walking with?"

I thought for a moment. Seth was going to be one of the ushers, along with Edward's college roommate Riley--whom I'd never met before.

"You'll walk with Ben Cheney. He's Edward's friend from Chicago and is a very sweet guy." I had only talked to him on the phone, but immediately thought he was a great guy.

"Is he cute? I could use a boyfriend."

I laughed. "From what I've seen, yeah. He's pretty cute. Who knows? Maybe you two will hit it off and he'll move to Seattle like he's been talking about." It was possible.

"That would be great."

I got up and ran a brush through my hair before walking downstairs. I looked at Alice and Rosalie and smiled.

"You all look amazing, Alice."

Rosalie's hair was in an elegant chignon, matching Angela's, and Alice's short black hair was in loose curls, pinned away from her face.

"Thanks, Bells." She motioned for me to take a seat. I looked at the island of the kitchen to see it littered with hair products, curling irons, rollers, and a huge case of makeup. "So, I'm thinking we should do your hair down."

"Whatever you want," I replied.

"Seriously?" she squealed.

"Yep. You know what I like. And judging by the way you three look, I don't think anything that you're planning to do will be a problem." I smiled at her. I was eerily calm--like the calm before the storm. I kept waiting for my nerves to reappear.

Alice sprayed something in my hair before sectioning it and rolling it up in the hot rollers. While my hair cooled, she painted my toenails and ran a nail file across my long fingernails. All those prenatal vitamins had made my nails grow like crazy. Once she was finished with that, she took the rollers out of my hair and ran her fingers through it, separating the curls. She sprayed something else in my hair before pinning my hair back with bobby pins and then pinning my veil in my hair--there were no combs or tiaras attached to the veil, it was just tulle.

"Kay. All done." She held up a mirror for me to look into.

I saw my face break out into a wide smile. It was perfect. The curls cascaded down my back underneath the fingertip-length scalloped edged veil that Alice had made for me, matching the beadwork on my dress. It was simple, yet beautiful.

"This is great. Thank you, Alice!" I stood up and hugged her tightly.

"Anytime, Bells." She pulled back. "Now, Renee has already taken Claire and Gage to the church and Esme is in your room, as we speak, packing your suitcase for your honeymoon. I have taken the liberty to put a few things I thought you might need in your suitcase." She waggled her eyebrows, making me blush. "So, the only thing left to do is grab your dress and my makeup case and head over there."

I nodded my head and exhaled loudly. "Okay. Let's get this over with before I start freaking out again." I could feel the nerves building in my chest, causing my stomach to roll.

"You'll be fine, Bella." I looked at Rose to see her smiling at me. "Let's go, Edward's waiting for you."

"He is?" I was worried that one of my nightmares might come true--the one involving Edward leaving me high and dry at the altar.

"I just got off the phone with Emmett and he said that Edward is going to pace a rut in the floor, he's so anxious." She grabbed my shoulders. "He's been waiting for this day for over a year, Bella. Of course he's there."

I inhaled deeply. I was being ridiculous. "You're right." I smiled. "Let's go."

We drove my Audi over to the church and got out. I saw Edward's Volvo and Jasper's SUV were already in the lot.

"Why's he here so early?" I asked to no one in particular.

"You've got me. Apparently Jazz couldn't keep him at the house any longer." Alice grabbed the makeup case out of the back while Rosalie grabbed my dress.

I felt my face light up but said nothing.

We walked inside and were immediately ushered into a dressing room, where Alice proceeded to plop me down into a chair and work on my face while Rosalie and Angela pulled my dress out of the bag and began steaming it. I sat there impatiently, bouncing my knee until she finally grabbed my thigh.

"Okay. I've gotten to the point where I can't do anymore unless you sit _still_."

"Sorry," I said sheepishly.

She nodded her head and finished my makeup. "Hey, Angela? I'm finished. Are you guys done with Bella's dress?"

"Yeah. We just finished up." I looked over at my dress hanging on a hook on the door, sighing. It was beautiful. "Wow, Bella. You look amazing." Angela grinned at me.

I started to turn to look at myself in the mirror but was stopped by Alice. "You can look when you get your dress on."

"Um, all right."

There was a knock on the door, and Rosalie rushed over to open it.

"Bella?"

"Hey, Dad." I gave him a nervous smile.

"You've got just a few minutes before we need to get out there. Your mom is bringing everyone's flowers."

I frowned. I couldn't believe it was almost time already. "Uh, okay. We're ready. All we need to do is get our dresses on."

He nodded and shut the door. I stood still, watching Alice, Rosalie, and Angela quickly put their dresses on and check their makeup in the mirror. I heard Alice instruct me to take off my shirt and jeans, which I followed but was in such a daze, I could barely register the fact that I had stepped into my dress. Before I knew it, they had buttoned me up and I was being sat back in the chair while they slipped my shoes on me.

"Bella? Bella!" Rosalie snapped her fingers in front of my face.

"Oh, God." I breathed. "I don't know if I can go out there in front of all those people."

"Yes, you can. You'll be fine." Angela smiled at me. "Where's your bracelet and your earrings?"

"Um, in my purse." I pointed to the vanity just as Rosalie slipped her necklace around my neck.

Alice got the earrings and the bracelet from my purse and slipped them on, along with Esme's ring.

"Bella? Are you dressed?" I heard my mother's voice through the door.

"Yeah, Mom." My voice cracked with nervousness.

She opened the door and gasped. "Oh, baby. You look beautiful."

"Thanks," I muttered.

I looked in the mirror and almost had a panic attack. Seeing myself completely dressed and ready to walk down the aisle made it suddenly more real to me. For a moment, I thought I would faint.

"Are you ready?" Charlie asked as he walked back in.

"Almost!" Alice cried out, rushing over to me to slip a blue garter on my thigh. "Now she's ready."

He held his arm out to me. "Well, Bells. Let's get you married."

******************************

Edward

I sat down and rested my elbows on my knees, my feet bouncing anxiously. Thirty more minutes, that was all I had left until I could call Bella mine--forever.

I decided that I couldn't sit down any longer and hopped up, checking my cream colored tie in the mirror. All of us were wearing black suits, but everyone else was wearing celery green ties. Bella had practically demanded that everything was to match the colors in a green cymbidium orchid a month before Claire was born. Thankfully, she never changed her mind.

"You nervous?" Ben asked.

"No, just ready to get this over with. I've been engaged for over a year now. I just want to marry the girl already." I smiled at him.

There was a knock on the door, and Emmett, Jasper, Ben, and I all snapped our heads in the direction of the door.

Seth came walking in, holding a small gift in his hand. "Hey, man. I've been trying to get over here for the last thirty minutes, but it's a fucking madhouse out there. I didn't know you knew so many damn people!" He slapped his hand over his mouth. "Shit! I just cursed in a church!"

I laughed at him. "I don't. Carlisle and Esme do." I took the small package from his hand and eyed it curiously. "What the hell is this?"

"Your wedding gift, you idiot." I looked over and glared at Emmett.

"Yes, I'm aware of that, Em. It was a rhetorical question. I just was surprised to get it. I thought Bella was going to give it to me on our honeymoon."

Seth grinned at me. "She loved your gift and wanted to give yours to you now, instead of later. I am under strict instructions to let you open it and look at something before taking it back until you leave for your honeymoon." I looked at him in surprise. "Sorry, man. Open it and you'll see why."

As I started unwrapping the gift, it finally dawned on me what she had given me. I felt my lips pull up into a huge smile as I ripped the paper off of the book. Wrapped around it was a note from Bella.

_I'm so sorry I kept this from you for so long, but I wanted you to see it as a finished product. This is the first copy ever printed. I thought it was only fitting to give it to the man who was the reason I wrote it in the first place. _

_Bella_

I looked down at the book and read the title. _Defying Gravity_. I could hardly contain my excitement as I opened the cover and saw the dedication.

_To Edward-my life, my heart; my love. Thank you for giving me more than I could have ever dreamed of. For giving me yourself and our beautiful daughter, Claire. I love you always._

I could feel my eyes welling up with tears as I read the dedication. I quickly wiped them away and took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. If I couldn't control myself over a simple dedication, I was in trouble later.

"Get a fucking grip, Eddie." Emmett laughed.

"Dude, it's her book. She's not let him see any of it until now." Jasper looked at Emmett like he wanted to throttle him. "Give him a break. He's allowed to be a wreck on his wedding day."

"Thanks, Jazz." I glared at Emmett. "Not another word, ass." He just laughed some more.

"Okay, so I have to take it back now. You can read it on your honeymoon, when you have time." Seth held out his hand.

"Damnit." I reluctantly gave Seth the book.

"Oh, by the way, the pastor said for you to get up there." He beamed at me.

We walked in silence as I tried to focus on walking instead of running to the altar. I took my place next to the pastor at the altar, while the other guys waited at the door, and I scanned the crowd. There wasn't an empty seat in the chapel. Bella was going to kill my parents and Alice for inviting so many people.

I stood there, rocking on my heels impatiently, and heard the music start up. I smiled as I saw Esme and Renee--who was carrying Claire--walk down the aisle escorted by Seth and Riley. They came up and lit the candles on each side of the unity candle and then took their places in the front row.

The song changed to Pachebel's Cannon in D, and I saw Ben and Angela walking towards me. I hadn't seen any of the bridesmaids' gowns, but I was pleased with Alice's choice. They were plum colored, hitting the knees. They had a v-neck and I saw as Angela turned that they were backless, coming to a point at the small of the back. _Nice._

Rosalie and Jasper came next, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing at them. They looked so uncomfortable and ridiculous together, almost like brother and sister. They took their places just as Alice and Emmett came up the aisle. I hardly paid any attention to my best man and Bella's maid of honor. I was too busy trying to stare through them, waiting for the moment my beautiful angel would walk through the door.

Finally the music changed again, playing Claire de Lune. I smiled at Bella's choice; it was perfect. I wrung my hands together as the doors seemingly swung open in slow motion. Charlie and Bella finally walked through them and I was left breathless. She was carrying a bouquet full of cymbidium orchids, white hydrangeas, and plum mini calla lilies and looked incredible. Her dress had thin straps and was scallop-edged around the neckline and at the base of her dress. The beading on her dress made it look like lace. Her hair was in loose waves down her back, pinned away from her face with her veil. As she got closer, I noticed the beading on her veil matched the beading on her dress. I couldn't have imagined her looking any more perfect.

I ran my gaze across her face and noticed she was blushing profusely. _Count on Bella to be the blushing bride._ Our eyes met and I felt my face break out into a wide smile.

With the words of the pastor, Charlie placed Bella's hand in mine, where it would stay for the rest of my days on this Earth. I felt him pat my back, but I never tore my eyes away from Bella's.

I carefully led Bella up the few stairs to the large arch that was standing in the center of the stage, making sure she didn't trip over her dress. The pastor began speaking, but I didn't listen. Instead, I squeezed Bella's hand before bringing it to my lips.

"You look unbelievable," I whispered.

"Thanks. You look pretty amazing yourself." She stole a glance at me and winked. "Who are all these people?"

"I have no idea." I saw her struggling to hide her giggle and I smiled even wider.

Bella gave Alice her bouquet and turned to me as I took her other hand in mine. I watched Bella recite her vows with tears streaming down her face and released my grip on her hands to wipe them away carefully. When it was my turn to recite my vows, I managed to make it through them without crying, though my voice broke a few times when I looked into Bella's emotional face.

We excitedly exchanged rings and the moment she put my ring on my finger, I thought my heart would explode with joy. I could hardly focus on the rest of the ceremony, which included us lighting the unity candle; I was so happy. I was waiting for the pastor's wonderful last words.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you man and wife." He looked at me and grinned. "Edward, you may now kiss your bride."

I swiftly pulled Bella in my arms and kissed her with every emotion I felt at that moment. Her arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me closer to her as her tongue swept across my lips. I parted them and our tongues met, causing each of us to sigh in contentment.

I reluctantly pulled away and faced us to the crowd, smiling uncontrollably.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I am pleased to introduce you to Dr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!"

The music began playing, but I was unaware of what particular song it was. Bella and I happily raced down the aisle and into the foyer, grabbing each other tightly and kissing passionately when we stopped.

"We did it!" she exclaimed. Her eyes were shining with excitement and love.

I took her hand and played with the channel-set baguette eternity band that now sat on her left ring finger.

"You're mine," I said, playfully, kissing her softly.

"Forever."

**I still have to write the reception, I found a great place for them to have it, but I thought the chapter would be too long with both...I'll update as soon as I can!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Thanks for the reviews! I've added a link to my profile for where they had their reception. I thought it was an awesome place!**

Chapter 33

Bella

"How much longer Sam?" I asked through my teeth, still smiling. "My face hurts."

He laughed. "Just a couple more of you with Edward and then I want some of you two with Claire. Then I'll quit."

Sam put the camera down and motioned for Renee to bring Claire over to us. I looked at my husband as he took our baby in his arms. _My husband._ If someone could die of happiness, it would be me. I was so happy I thought I would implode. And if I thought I loved Edward before, I was wrong. My whole body radiated with the love I felt for him. I was the poster child for some cheesy Hallmark greeting card--and I couldn't have cared less.

Edward caught me looking at him and chuckled. "What?"

"I just was thinking how happy I was. And how much I love you."

He smiled lovingly at me and gave me a soft kiss. I heard Sam's camera click, but paid no attention. "I love you, too, my angel." He looked deeply into my eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Shrivel up into a ball and die." He looked at me funny. "That's what I'd do." I shrugged.

He shook his head. "Okay, enough of the morbid talk." He looked at me and winked. "But you're right. That's probably what would happen to me."

We finished taking pictures and made our way outside, where everyone was waiting for us. We walked through the doors and were assaulted by thousands of tiny bubbles.

"Bubbles?" Edward laughed. "What happened to rice?"

I looked at him, smiling. "Alice." He nodded. It explained it all.

We got to the end of the line and I practically screamed at what was waiting in front of us.

"Seriously? A Hummer limo?"

Emmett's laugh boomed over all the chatter. "Congratulations, little sis." I looked back at him and he waved.

I was sorely tempted to flick him off, but decided against it. "I hate you!" I called back, playfully.

He laughed again. "See you at the reception!"

I reluctantly followed Edward into the limo and sat down. _Thank God no one could see in this thing._ I was sure we would be the object of everyone's stares as we made our way across town.

"Leave it to Emmett to get us something this big." Edward gave me a small smile.

"Yeah. He seems to like the gas guzzlers." I thought of his big Jeep in Chicago.

He nodded. "The earrings look as good as I thought they would on you," he said, proud of himself.

I blushed. "Thanks. I really like them. But you didn't have to spend so much money!"

He shrugged. "It wasn't like we'll miss it. Besides, you never let me buy anything extravagant for you. And we'll only get married once." I nodded my head and conceded. "By the way, I loved my gift."

"You did?" I lit up.

"Of course." He scooted closer to me, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close. "Thank you." He looked at me seriously, his eyes swirling with emotion. "Thank you for dedicating it to me. You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

He kissed me gently, but it was full of emotion. When he finally pulled back, I had tears in my eyes.

"You're welcome," I sniffled.

"I can't wait to read it." He grinned at me as he wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Just as long as it's not in front of me." He looked at me curiously. "I'll be too worried about whether or not you like it if you read it in front of me."

He nodded and looked around. "We're here."

"Already?" I asked in surprise. We'd only been in the limo for five minutes. "We could have walked!"

"You would want to walk in that gorgeous dress?" His eyebrows were raised.

"Well, no," I admitted.

He gracefully hopped out of the limo and then held his hand out to me, helping me out.

As soon as I was out of the limo, I was blinded by the flashing lights of cameras.

"Oh, great," Edward groaned.

I pulled him down and whispered in his ear. I could feel my face getting redder by the second. "I thought they weren't going to bother us?"

He tightened his grip around me and led me towards the entrance. "I guess they think they'll get a shot of a famous guest." I just looked at him. "Little do they know, we don't know anyone famous." He winked and I giggled.

We pushed our way through the photographers and into the arms of the security guards Edward had thought to hire. We made it through the doors and I looked around, sighing in awe.

"God, I love this place."

Edward looked around. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Ali did a great job."

I looked around at the space Alice had found, beaming. It was an old factory that had been restored and converted into a party venue by a local catering company. I looked up and admired the exposed beams in the ceiling before looking at the seemingly endless room of tables. Alice had decorated them with plum colored tablecloths and cymbidium orchids and candles. The effect was stunning.

We mingled with our guests, chatting happily, while we waited for the food to be served. We took our places at a long table at the front of the room with Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Angela, and Ben. Our families and Seth sat closest to us and we talked and laughed while we ate and sipped on champagne.

Alice and Emmett each took turns delivering their speech to us. Alice's was sweet and bubbly, just like her personality; Emmett's was loud and blunt--straight to the point with lots of innuendos. Edward and I laughed throughout the entire speech, even though my face was hot with embarrassment.

I watched my family play with Claire at their table and found myself wondering how I was going to cope without her for the next two weeks.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Edward asked, curiously.

I sighed. "I was just watching everyone play with Claire and I was realizing how much I was going to miss her while we're gone."

He gave me a bright smile. "Are you finished?" he asked, pointing to my plate.

"Yes." I didn't think I could eat another bite--my dress wouldn't allow it.

"Follow me." He rose out of his seat and held is hand out to me.

I took it, albeit reluctantly. "Why do I feel like you have some sort of surprise waiting for me?" I asked him, hesitantly.

He chuckled. "You know me well, love." He looked down at me and winked. "You'll love it, I promise."

I groaned, but didn't say anything else.

We walked over to where Alice and Jasper were standing with Jasper's friend Peter and his wife, Charlotte.

"Did you tell her?" Alice asked, excitedly.

"No. You can though, if you'd like." Edward responded.

"Bella, guess what!" Alice practically yelled at me.

"Um, I don't know. What?"

"Jazz and I are going with you on your honeymoon!" She jumped up and down like a child.

Surely I didn't hear her correctly.

"I'm sorry, you're what?" I looked at Edward only to see him looking somewhere else, trying not to laugh.

"Jazz and I are coming with you! We're not staying at the same place as you or anything, we're there to watch Claire for you while you and Edward..." She trailed off and thought for a second. "You know, do your thing." She smiled brightly at me.

I looked at Edward in surprise. "You mean, we're taking Claire?!"

He grinned. "Yes. I knew you wouldn't want to be gone for so long without her. Especially since she's so little."

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him hard. "This is the best surprise ever!" I had a thought run through my head. "Wait! How is this going to work?"

"Jazz and Ali won't be too far away from us. They'll have Claire with them and if one of us wants to see her, we'll go to them or they can bring her to us. Who knows? We may even have a night where we want her with us and then we can give those two a chance to explore without an infant attached to them at all times," Edward explained as he ran his hands up and down my arms.

"Yeah. I have all kinds of stuff planned for Jasper and I to do with Claire. I found a lot of kid friendly places in-" Alice stopped and quickly covered her mouth.

I rolled my eyes. "I love how everyone knows where we're going but me."

Edward laughed silently. He brought his hands to my face and rubbed his thumb across my lips. "Is this okay?" His green eyes seemed to be searching for something as he stared into my eyes.

"Yes. This is great. I get to be with you wherever we go and know that our daughter is safe and never too far away. Thank you." I tilted my face up towards his and gently kissed him. I glanced back at Alice and Jasper. "Are they flying with us?" I knew that wherever it was we were going, we would be getting there by plane.

"No. They're going to keep Claire here in Seattle tonight and then fly out with her tomorrow." He took my hands in his. "Now, no more questions." He grinned crookedly. "I wouldn't want to give anything away."

"Oh, no. Of course not," I muttered sarcastically.

He laughed once. "Come on, let's cut the cake. I want to see it smashed all over that pretty face of yours."

"Please don't!" I pleaded as he led me to the huge cake Alice had made for the wedding.

He said nothing in return, only looked at me with what could only be described as a shit-eating grin on his beautiful face.

One of the employees announced that we would be cutting the cake, which caused almost all the guests to crowd around the table. I felt my face flush in embarrassment.

Edward handed me one of the cake cutters and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You have your first novel out, Mrs. Cullen. You're going to be the center of attention more often now. As much as I love seeing that beautiful blush on your face, you're going to have to learn how to function while people are staring at you. Especially since I'm certain you'll be doing a book tour in the future."

I groaned loudly. "Don't remind me." The thought of all those people watching me as I read from a book made my face grow even hotter.

He chuckled at me as we carefully cut the top tier. Edward took a small piece in his hands and held it out to me; I warned him with my eyes as I opened my mouth. He carefully placed it in my mouth and then smeared the icing that was on his fingers all over my mouth and down my chin. I couldn't help but giggle. I took a piece in my hands and shoved it into his face, managing only to get a small bite in his mouth. He laughed loudly as he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

"I asked you not to do that!" I said in between giggles.

"And I didn't care." He bent down and kissed some of the cake off my mouth.

We cleaned ourselves off and went around the room, trying to make sure we had talked to everyone while they ate their cake. We finally made our way around the room completely and I collapsed down in a chair.

"What's the matter?"

"My feet are killing me!" I took my shoes off and threw them on the table while Edward just chuckled to himself.

Alice came running up to where we were sitting. "Come on, Bella! It's time for you to throw the bouquet!"

She yanked me out of the chair and dragged me to the center of the dance floor, where the DJ had just finished setting up. He looked up and saw what we were doing and announced that it was time for all the single gals to make their way to the dance floor.

A few people came willingly, but Alice had to drag most of them out. I turned around and looked at Edward, mouthing 'Wish me luck', before I squeezed my eyes closed and tossed the bouquet behind me. I turned around just in time to see it hit one of the pendant lights that dangled from the ceiling and bounce straight into Angela's hands. The look on her face was pure shock, which caused me to giggle hysterically.

"At least I didn't hit you in the head with it," I said in between giggles.

"I appreciate that." She looked at me seriously. "Good thing I don't believe in this superstitious crap because there's not even the prospect of a boyfriend, let alone an _actual_ one."

Edward wrapped his arm around my waist. "I wouldn't be so sure of that." He grinned at her. "Ben's had his eye on you all night."

"What?" She looked around, but Ben was nowhere in sight.

"Yep, you should ask him to dance later." She scoffed. "Fine, then I'll make sure it happens for you," Edward promised.

Before I could say anything about it, Edward whisked me away and led me to a chair, where he proceeded to pull off my garter and throw it all while I blushed profusely. After he was finished, he led me onto the dance floor just as the DJ announced our first dance together.

Edward cradled me in his arms as I wrapped mine around his neck, waiting for the song to begin. I had let Edward pick out all the music for the reception and I had no idea what we would be dancing to.

I heard the trumpet's introduction to Etta James' _At Last_ and felt my eyes instantly fill with tears. I looked up at Edward and saw his eyes were full of adoration. He pulled one hand from my waist and used his thumb to wipe the tear that had fallen down my cheek just before he bent down and rested his forehead on mine, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply as he slowly spun us around the dance floor.

_At last  
my love has come along  
my lonely days over  
and life is like a song_

I heard her beautiful voice fill the room and I felt my heart swell in my chest, taking up so much space I had to take a deep breath so that I didn't feel like I was suffocating. I realized as I listened to the lyrics of the song; the lyrics of someone's feelings when they finally met that one person they were meant to spend their life with, that they were so completely perfect--so _us_.

Edward's sweet breath washed across my face as he sighed. "This song reminds me of how I felt when I first realized I was in love with you." He looked deeply into my eyes. "I waited my whole life for you and then you finally came into my life and I knew just how love was supposed feel. And now you are mine, from now until the day I die."

"It's perfect," I choked out.

He leaned in and gave me a tender kiss as we continued to dance. The last verse of the song played and I heard Edward's beautiful voice join in, singing in perfect tune.

_well_

_You smile  
you smile  
oh and then the spell was cast  
and here we are in heaven  
for you are mine at last_

I stood up on my toes and kissed him with so much passion, I thought the room would catch on fire. I broke away, gasping for air, and smiled up at him.

"I love you, baby."

He looked as if he would cry at any moment as he smiled back down at me. "I love you." He leaned down and ran his nose across my jaw. "If we were alone, I'd show you just how much. I want to worship you tonight."

I shivered with his words and reluctantly pulled away. I was dimly aware that the DJ was announcing that it was time for me to dance with Charlie, but I was only focused on Edward. Nothing else in the room seemed to exist; to matter.

I shook my head, trying to regain my composure, just as Charlie came over to me.

"Congratulations, Bells. I couldn't be happier for you," he said genuinely.

"Thanks, Dad." My voice was thick.

"Just so you know, I helped Edward pick this song out."

I looked at him in confusion as he just stood there smiling smugly at me. Van Morrison's _Brown Eyed Girl_ came playing through the speakers and I burst out laughing as Charlie spun me around awkwardly.

We laughed and sang to the song while Edward looked on, laughing with us.

The song ended and Charlie hugged me tightly to his chest. "I know I don't always tell you or show you, but I love you, Bells."

I took a shaky breath. "I love you, Dad."

*****************************

Edward

Bella and I made sure we danced with all of our friends and family. I stood there, watching Seth dance with Bella, with a goofy grin on my face. Before I realized what I was doing, I was crossing the dance floor, stealing Bella away from Seth. I suddenly needed to feel her in my arms again.

The song changed as I held her close to me and I felt my body go rigid.

"Edward? What's the matter?" Bella looked up at me in concern.

"I haven't heard this song in a while. I haven't been able to." The DJ had the list of songs I wanted to play, but was also playing some of his own choices as well as requests from the guests.

"What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "Just listen to it. You'll understand why."

I barely shuffled my feet as I listened to the song that I spent those four painful months listening to almost every night.

_A lonely road, crossed another cold state line  
Miles away from those I love, purpose hard to find  
While I recall all the words you spoke to me  
Can't help but wish that I was there  
Back where I'd love to be, oh yeah_

_Dear God, the only thing I ask of you  
Is to hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away  
We all need that person who can be true to you  
But I left her when I found her and now I wish I'd stayed  
Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired, I'm missing you again oh no  
Once again_

_There's nothing here for me on this barren road  
There's no one here while the city sleeps  
And all the shops are closed  
Can't help but think of the times I've had with you  
Pictures and some memories will have to help me through, oh yeah_

_Dear God, the only thing I ask of you  
Is to hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away  
We all need that person who can be true to you  
But I left her when I found her and now I wish I'd stayed  
Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired, I'm missing you again oh no  
Once again_

_Some search, never finding a way  
Before long, they waste away  
I found you, something told me to stay  
I gave in, to selfish ways  
And how I miss someone to hold  
When hope begins to fade_

_A lonely road, crossed another cold state line  
Miles away from those I love, purpose hard to find_

_Dear God, the only thing I ask of you  
Is to hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away  
We all need that person who can be true to you  
But I left her when I found her and now I wish I'd stayed  
Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired, I'm missing you again oh no  
Once again_

After what felt like the longest six and a half minutes of my life, I managed to look down at my wife's beautiful tear-stained face.

"I'm sorry, love. I didn't ask him to play it."

She sniffled. "It's okay. It's the past, right?" She looked at me expectantly.

"Yes." I grabbed her face in my hands and looked into her beautiful chocolate eyes. "I will never leave you again."

"I know." Fresh tears fell down her face.

"You know, it's almost time to go."

Her brows shot up. "Is it really?"

I nodded. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to tell everyone goodbye so that I can be with you alone. Even if it is on a plane."

She giggled. "Lead the way."

I gave her a quick kiss and took her hand, leading her to where our family was standing. We told everyone goodbye and quickly checked on Claire, who had managed to fall asleep in her carrier through the loud music.

We grabbed the bag Alice had packed for us and ran to the bathrooms to change our clothes. I changed into a pair of jeans and a navy blue long sleeved polo. Bella came out wearing a long sleeved cream colored dress that hung perfectly on her body.

"That dress looks amazing on you, love." I watched the blush spread across her cheeks and smiled.

I motioned to the DJ that we were about to leave. He cut off the song that was playing as I led Bella back out onto the dance floor.

"Put your feet on mine. There's one thing I want to do with you before we leave." I smirked down at her.

She quickly did as I asked, and I held her in the waltz stance. The song began playing and I twirled her around the room, watching the grin spread across her face.

"Oh, my God!" she giggled. "I feel like we're on our first date again!"

I smiled brightly at her while I continued to dance us to the first song we ever danced to. The song ended and we darted out the door, through the crowd of photographers, ready to be on our way alone together.

We walked up to the limo and I had to practically force Bella to get in.

"Can't we just take one of our cars?" she whined.

"No. They're both still at the church. Besides, Ali and Emmett already put our luggage in the trunk."

She pursed her lips but kept silent. I looked over and noticed there was a bottle of champagne and two glasses sitting in some ice. I grabbed the bottle and popped the cork off before pouring two glasses and handing one to Bella.

She took a small sip and I watched as she rested her head against the seat and closed her eyes. The limo idled for a few minutes before finally taking off. I saw the light sheen of Bella's skin and I suddenly had the urge to taste her. I leaned forward and licked her collarbone, making my way up her neck to her ear, where I gently bit down. I felt her entire body shiver, making all my blood run south.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"I've been thinking about ripping that fantastic dress off you and making love to my wife for the first time since we said 'I do'," I whispered huskily.

I worked my fingers down her body. "The driver," she whispered.

"Not a problem," I whispered back, reaching over and pushing a button, making the privacy barrier go up.

"Holy..." My hands were now inside her dress and snaking up her thigh.

"Yes?" I breathed onto her neck.

I quickly ripped her thong down to her ankles and ran my fingers down her slit. She gasped as my fingers plunged inside her and began pumping furiously.

"Oh, God." I heard her swallow. "You want our first time as husband and wife to be in a limo?"

"No," I growled. "I just want to make you come." I moved my mouth back to hers and kissed her deeply. "I'll make love to you later when it's romantic and perfect."

"Oh." If I wasn't so busy, I would have laughed at her lack of response.

I continued to move my fingers in and out of her as my thumb ran across her clit, using the bounce in the road to my advantage.

"Bella, we're almost there," I mumbled against her mouth. I pulled back and looked at her. "You need to come."

Her eyes met mine and she came undone. I watched as she bit down on her lip so that she didn't shout out as her body shuddered in pleasure.

The limo stopped and we hurriedly adjusted ourselves--I was as hard as a rock.

"Where are my underwear?" She looked all over the limo.

"In my pocket." I replied, unremorseful.

"What?" she screeched. "Give them back!"

"Baby, they're useless." I looked at her sheepishly. "I sort of ripped them."

She burst out laughing. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"We just need to make it inside and then I can grab you pair out of the suitcase and you can change in the bathroom before we check our luggage and get our tickets."

She nodded. "All right, I'll make it quick." She looked over at me before getting out of the limo. "Don't ever do that again, Edward." She narrowed her eyes playfully at me.

"I'm not promising anything." I grinned, causing her to roll her eyes.

We grabbed our luggage from the limo driver and made our way into the airport. I stopped in a corner and grabbed a pair of underwear out for Bella and discreetly handed them to her. She raced into the bathroom and game out less than a minute later.

We checked in and she looked at me quizzically. "Where are you taking me?"

"I'm not telling you. You can wait a few more hours. You've waited this long." I grabbed our boarding passes for our flight to JFK.

We made our way through security and to the gate, waiting for only a few minutes before boarding the plane. Once we were in the air, Bella laid her head on my shoulder.

"Sleepy, love?"

"Very. I hardly got any sleep last night." She yawned as if on cue.

"Were you nervous about marrying me?" I teased.

"No. Just about falling or knocking the cake over. You know, just being clumsy in general."

I chuckled. "Well, you had nothing to worry about."

I felt her nod against me and I began running my fingers through her hair. Before I knew it, she was breathing deeply and I knew she was asleep.

I leaned over, trying not to disturb her, and pulled her book out of my carry-on bag. I opened it up and began reading, unable to put it down until we made it to New York.

**OK, I stopped there because I didn't want it to get ridiculously long. There'll be bits and pieces of Bella's book during the honeymoon and then most likely again in the sequel.**

**In case you're wondering, the song they played was Dear God, by Avenged Sevenfold. Thought it described that time when he was away perfectly ;)**

**The other song was a Frank Sinatra song--Fly Me To The Moon. **

**Anyways, I'm on to update Summer Nights now!!!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Sorry this has taken me so long to update! I've tried for over a week, but my internet is messed up...they're updating their equipment in our area and every time I've tried to upload this chapter, it's been down. Talk about frustrating!**

**Most of this chapter is in BPOV, since she's never been to Italy. Also, LEMONY GOODNESS AHEAD!!!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews! They are appreciated!!!**

Chapter 34

Edward

I managed to read Bella's novel without her knowledge the entire way to Rome. It was unbelievable. So eloquent, so...my mind came up a blank. It completely sucked me in and I was unable to stop reading until the very end. Even though the story was so common--girl meets boy, falls in love, certain things happen to keep boy and girl apart, girl gets her happily ever after--it was unlike anything I'd ever read. It was the perfect balance of romance and humor, with a little bit of sexual innuendo to fuel the reader's fantasies.

I felt like I had been traveling for weeks when we finally landed at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. I couldn't wait to show Bella Rome and if I was being completely honest, get her into our hotel room and in the bed.

We grabbed our luggage and stepped outside. I hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of the hotel in Italian.

"You speak Italian?" Bella asked in wonder. "How did I not know this about you?" She turned and faced me. "How many languages can you speak anyway?"

"I can speak Latin, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and a little bit of broken French." I shrugged. "My parents made sure we were well educated."

"Obviously."

I pulled her close to me and watched her as she looked contentedly out the window. Once we entered the city, she let out a small squeak at the twists and turns the driver had to take to maneuver us through traffic.

When we almost collided with an oncoming charter bus, she cringed into my side and squeezed her eyes closed. "He's trying to kill us!" she whispered hotly.

I chuckled. "Shh, it's all right. He's not trying to kill us. He's just trying to _get _us there." This _was_ Europe after all. There's a reason why you don't see trucks and SUV's being driven by the everyday citizen.

I held her tightly as we wound our way through the city, listening to her mutter the entire way. When we finally got to the hotel, I paid the driver and glanced over to see Bella already out on the sidewalk, looking around the Piazza del Popolo. I quickly gave the bellboy our luggage and walked over to her.

"Oh, my God. What's that?" She was pointing.

"That," I paused dramatically," is the Piazza del Popolo. See that over there?" She nodded. "Those are the Twin Churches. The one of the left is Santa Maria di Mantesanto and the one on the right is Santa Maria dei Miracoli."

"How many times have you been here?" She looked at me sideways.

I shrugged. "Something like five or six maybe?"

"And you wanted to come back?"

I grinned. "I wanted to show you one of my favorite cities in the world." I pulled her to me. "Did I do all right?"

"It's wonderful. Is this the only place we're going?"

I shook my head. "No. But you're not going to know anything yet. Let's just enjoy Rome first." She glared. "I promise I'll tell you where we're going before we leave. Okay?"

"Fine." She pouted and looked back over at the plaza. "I want to see it all," she sighed.

I pulled her face back so that I could kiss her. "I will show you everything, love. Starting tomorrow."

She started to object but quickly shut her mouth as soon as she saw the look in my eyes.

I quickly got us checked in and in our room. Bella ran around the suite, looking around in awe, while I waited for the luggage to come up. I could hear her shouting something about the tile from the bathroom and chuckled to myself. I was about to join her when I heard a knock on the door. _That was fast._

I opened the door to see the bellhop with our suitcases.

"Ciao, il Dr. Cullen. Se volete farmi mettere queste?" He pointed to the suitcases.

I quickly checked his name tag. "Oltre c'è bene, Marco. Grazie." I gave him a polite smile.

Bella came walking back into the living area of the suite just as Marco brought in the last suitcase. He turned to look at me and gave me a wide smile.

"E 'questa la signora?"

I couldn't help but smile broadly in response. "Si."

"Lei è bella, signore. Congratulazioni," he said sincerely.

"Grazie." I paused for a moment. "Um, Marco? C'è qualsiasi luogo vicino dove si può ottenere qualcosa da mangiare più tardi?"

"Si, si!"

He gave me directions to a small cafe that was just down the street, claiming they had excellent food. I thanked him and gave him a generous tip for being so helpful--and also for telling me that my wife was beautiful.

I felt Bella's hands snake around my waist. "Did I just hear him say my name?"

I turned around to face her, laughing. "Yes, but not in that context. He was just telling me how beautiful you were."

Her brow creased. "Really?"

"Yes, Bella. Didn't you know your name is Italian for 'beautiful'?"

She bit her lip. "I guess I forgot." I could see the blush spreading across her cheeks, causing the blood in my brain to move...elsewhere.

"You forgot?" I asked doubtfully.

She nodded. Before I could say anything in response, she changed the subject. "Do you have any idea how incredibly hot it was to hear you speak in Italian?" She looked up at me seductively.

I felt my eyes widen. "Is that so?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Say something else," she whispered.

I racked my brain for something to say to her. The room was charged with our sexual energy and it was all I could do to keep from ripping her clothes off of her.

I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Non vedo l'ora di fare l'amore per te, di mia moglie. Ho aspettato questo momento dal giorno che ha detto sì." She moaned so I plowed on. "Lo vado a fare l'amore a lei ogni volta che posso, mentre noi siamo qui. Sono così in amore con lei, la mia bella Isabella. Tu sei il motivo è stato messo su questa terra. Non sarò mai in grado di dirvi quanto vuoi dire a me, ma ho intenzione di trascorrere il resto della mia vita tutto ciò che vi si possa sognare."

I picked her up and slammed her against the wall, grinding myself into her as I attacked her mouth with mine. The need I felt for this beautiful creature was astounding. I needed her like I needed air. She was all I could think of; understand.

Before I knew what had happened, we were both naked. Her body molded itself against mine as I pressed her into the wall. I could feel her wetness grinding against my dick and could think of nothing better than pushing myself into her at that very moment.

"Bedroom?" I mumbled against her lips.

"Please," she panted.

I grabbed her and carried her to the bedroom, laying her gently on the bed. Her hair splayed out around her and the light from the afternoon sun cast rays across her beautiful body. She truly looked like an angel.

"Il mio angelo," I breathed as I brought my mouth back to hers.

Our movements were no longer rushed, instead our touches lingered; our kisses were soft and sensual. My hands roamed all over her body; my eyes following, mesmerized by her smooth skin and beautiful curves.

I could feel her growing impatient under me, making me smile. I quickly pushed myself into her, reveling in the feeling of our bodies connecting together as I ran my tongue over her neck, tasting her sweetness and listening to her moan. I would never tire of hearing that sound.

I brought my hand to her breast and felt her arch her back as I took her nipple in between my fingers. I brought my mouth back to hers as I continued to move in and out of her body, feeling her hips meeting mine each and every time. I ran my hand down her body and hitched her leg around my waist, causing myself to go deeper into her body.

I was suddenly overcome with emotion so strong I nearly stopped. She felt my pause and opened her eyes, looking at me questioningly. I was finally making love to Bella as my wife--something I had thought about for over a year now. Even though I had mentioned it when she asked me to speak to her in Italian, nothing could have prepared me for the love that coursed through my veins.

"I love you," I grunted, resting my forehead on hers and staring into her eyes.

"I love you, too," she moaned.

I sped up as I felt her body tighten around me. I could feel myself getting closer with each thrust. I took her other leg and brought it around my waist so that I could go even deeper. It took all I had not to come with that first thrust.

"Ugh, Edward!"

I felt her walls ripple around me and I could no longer hold on. I let out a guttural moan as my orgasm came over me. I dropped my head into the crook of her neck, panting heavily, before I rolled us over so that we were laying beside each other, but never breaking our contact.

"That was amazing," she said grinning.

"Yes, it was," I agreed before placing a quick kiss on her lips.

"What were you saying earlier?"

I opened my mouth a couple of times before finally getting the words out. "I said 'I cannot wait to make love to you, as my wife. I have waited for this moment since the day you said yes.' Then I told you, 'I'm going to make love to you every time I can while we are here. I am so in love with you, my beautiful Isabella. You are the reason I was put on this earth. I will never be able to tell you how much you mean to me, and I intend to spend the rest of my life giving you everything you could ever dream of.' Well, roughly, anyway."

She blushed and smiled. "That was beautiful. Thank you, baby."

She brought her lips to mine, kissing me gently but it wasn't enough. I wrapped her in my arms and pushed myself deeper into her, cutting off any and every conversation for the rest of the afternoon.

******************************

Bella

We stayed in bed making love for the rest of the day, only stopping long enough to get dressed and go to the cafe that the bellhop had recommended. After we finished eating, we bundled ourselves back up and walked hand in hand around, before I got too cold and Edward practically forced me back to the hotel while he told me how disappointed I would be if I spent the rest of my honeymoon in bed with the flu. Even though he was right, it was still hard to break away from all the lights and general splendor of the city.

Edward had been careful to make sure I didn't see any of Rome's most famous sights, saying we would save it for daylight when I could appreciate it more. It was amazing to me to see everyone going about their lives with all the technology that we had all grown so used to having at our fingertips, only to take a few more steps and see something ancient being dug up out of the ground next to something like a McDonald's.

The next morning, I was awoken to the smell of coffee and breakfast. I opened my eyes to see Edward sitting a tray of food next to me on the bed.

"Good morning," he smiled. "What would you like to see today?"

"Um, I don't know. What do you want to do?" I took a bite of the breakfast Edward had ordered and groaned. It was fantastic.

"Well, it's not supposed to be too cold today so we could go see the Forum and the Coliseum and some of the other things around there. That would take all day. Or we could take it easy and see the Twin Churches, the Spanish Steps, and Trevi Fountain. It's up to you."

I thought about it for maybe a millisecond. "The Coliseum," I said excitedly.

He gave me a beaming smile. "Good choice." He took a sip of his coffee. "Oh, by the way, Alice and Jasper will be leaving with Claire today around four."

I couldn't keep my excitement off my face. "Will we have time to do something with them tonight?" A thought crossed my mind. "Wait, they won't be here until tomorrow morning. Maybe we could see them tomorrow night?"

"I was thinking about making dinner reservations tomorrow night for all of us. Would that be all right?"

"Yes," I responded happily.

We finished our breakfast and took a shower, which took longer than it should have since we couldn't keep our hands off each other. After we were finally dressed, we went down to the street and Edward hailed a taxi.

We got to the Coliseum and my mouth gaped open. It was incredible. We walked around it, snapping pictures, before Edward asked a woman nearby if she would take a picture of us together. After we were finished looking at the outside, Edward led me to the arena where he pointed out all of the details to me.

We walked over to the Arch of Constantine and I looked in awe while Edward briefly told me the history of the arch before making our way to the Forum. Once we were there, I couldn't help but frown. Edward saw the look on my face and pulled me into his arms.

"What's the matter? Do your feet hurt? Are you hungry? Cold?" He asked anxiously.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "No, no. It's nothing like that. I just wish I could have seen this the way it was supposed to be instead of it crumbling and falling down around me."

He looked around. "I know. It's a shame it doesn't look any better. I mean, it is pushing something like three thousand years old," he teased.

"Ha ha. Just show me around, please."

He pointed out all the temples, basilicas, and arches as we made our way through. There didn't seem to be anything he didn't know. By the time we finished looking around the Forum, my stomach was growling.

Edward heard it and chuckled. "I guess it's time to feed you."

I patted my stomach. "You think?"

We ate lunch at a local restaurant, sharing the best lasagna I have ever tasted in my life, and then took a taxi over to Circus Maximus. We sat down on the slope for a while, watching the other people walk around the field before we walked closer to the stadium.

We managed to walk by the Mouth of Truth, the Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Portunus before we ran out of daylight. Edward grabbed another taxi and we went back to the hotel, collapsing on the bed as soon as we walked into our room.

I groaned as soon as my head hit the pillow. My feet were killing me. Edward pulled my feet to him without taking his head off the bed and began giving them a massage. It was like he could read my mind.

"Dinner?" he asked, not moving from his spot on the bed.

"Okay." I yawned.

He reached over and grabbed a menu for room service. After we both picked out what we wanted to eat and Edward ordered, we laid there wrapped in each other's arms. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, Edward was gently shaking me awake, telling me that dinner had arrived.

We ate and then climbed into the huge Jacuzzi tub. I practically melted as soon as Edward turned on the jets. After relaxing in the tub for what felt like hours, we finally managed to climb out and crawl into bed. Even though we were naked, we were so exhausted from walking around all day, the thought of sex never crossed our minds. At least, until morning.

******************************

Edward woke me up by licking up my inner thigh. I gasped groggily and felt his fingertips trail up my legs before his tongue plunged into me. My hands involuntarily moved to his hair, tugging him into me as his tongue continued to do wonders to my body. Before I knew it, he had added his fingers into the mix and I could feel myself getting closer. Edward quickly moved himself away from me. I frowned with the loss of contact, but before I could voice my complaints I felt him push himself into me, causing me to finally lose control. My body contracted and spasmed around him, making me writhe and moan underneath him.

"Fuck, Bella." He was groaning and grunting and I was somehow able to see the concentration on his face as he tried not to come.

He was being so still, only moving his head as his tongue traced along my neck and collarbone. It was almost unbearable. I needed the friction, so I moved my hips around in effort to urge him on. I could feel his laughter against my neck before he pulled out of me and then quickly thrust back in.

"Impatient, love?"

"Yes," I choked out, almost too wrapped up in his movements to respond properly.

He continued to thrust in and out of me and before I knew it, he had flipped us over so that I was straddling him. I sat up and arched my back, loving the way he felt as I came back down on him over and over and over while he massaged my breasts and flicked my nipples. I could feel myself getting closer again, and I was quick to vocalize it.

"Edward. I'm going to come again." My voice was thick and barely comprehensible.

His hand snaked down my body as he made his way to my clit, flicking it gently in time with our movements, causing me to lose control in no time.

Edward followed close behind, grunting and pulling me down erratically as he came.

When we were finally coherent and our breathing had slowed, Edward moved me off of him and began stroking my arm gently with his fingertips.

"I have breakfast in the dining area for us. It's not much, just some fruit and pastries."

I arched my eyebrow. "Did you plan seducing me, Edward Cullen?"

He merely grinned at me before changing the subject. "I thought we could take it easy today since we exhausted ourselves yesterday and just see a few things close by. Also, the manager downstairs is going to make us reservations at a restaurant nearby so that we can see Claire tonight. Which reminds me, I woke up with a voicemail from Ali saying they arrived safely this morning and that Claire was an angel on the flight and that they were going to go to their hotel and take a nap before taking a stroll through the Vatican today."

I smiled. "Good. I can't wait to see her." I looked at him wistfully.

He chuckled. "I miss her, too. But it's only been a couple of days."

I frowned. "I know. But we really didn't get to see her much on our wedding day."

He rubbed his thumb across my chin. "Well, we get to see her tonight." I nodded. "Now, how about we eat and take our shower so we can see a few things before we have to meet up with Ali and Jazz tonight?"

I agreed and we quickly got up and ate, then took showers separately to avoid any temptation. Edward seemed reluctant, but agreed when I explained to him that I couldn't focus on what I was doing when he was around...naked.

We did more site seeing, walking over to the Twin Churches and the Villa Borghese. We walked through the Bio Park, museums, and Aviary at the Villa, before Edward convinced me to ice skate with him. After an hour, I managed to skate slowly on my own while Edward circled around me, snapping pictures and laughing at me good-naturedly. We grabbed hot chocolate on our way out of the rink. We started back towards the street, but Edward grabbed my hand and tugged me back towards him.

"There's a showing of _Romeo and Juliet_ at the theater at midnight. Want to see it?" He pointed to the sign.

"I don't know." My mouth pulled down. It was guaranteed to be in Italian. "I won't understand any of it."

He leaned over and breathed in my ear. "I'll translate it." He pulled himself back up and looked into my eyes, smiling. "Besides, you already know it by heart."

"All right." He went over and bought our tickets before leading me out of the park and towards the Spanish Steps.

We went up the steps, then stopped to grab a bite to eat as we made our way to Trevi Fountain. We walked up to the fountain and I felt Edward's hand rest on the small of my back. I looked over to see him digging in his pocket.

"Here." He handed me a Euro coin. "It's bad luck not to throw a coin in the fountain and make a wish."

I took it from him and closed my eyes, wishing something obscure, since I wasn't really superstitious. I tossed my coin it at the same time that Edward tossed his in.

"What did you wish for?" I asked him.

He laughed. "I'm not telling you. It won't come true!"

I rolled my eyes and walked away from the beautiful fountain. I looked at the corner shops on the street just above the fountain and noticed there were two gelato shops.

I looked at Edward in confusion. "Why are there two gelato stores right across from one another?"

"It gets pretty busy in the warmer months. They both make plenty of money, trust me. Would you like to try one?"

Of course I needed to try a gelato while I was in Italy. "Sure."

We bought our gelatos; Edward's chocolate, mine blackberry, and traded bites before eventually trading cups since we each liked the other one's better. We made our way over to the Pantheon and walked inside. I looked around the interior, trying to take it all in. There was so much going on, my eyes darted around from place to place, trying to grasp onto the concept of this place. I looked up and saw the hole in the ceiling.

"Why is that there?" It seemed strange to have a hole in the ceiling. What if it rained?

Edward looked up. "The oculus?" I nodded. "It's for ventilation and light. When it rains, the drainage system underneath takes care of any water that comes in."

"Oh." I looked around some more. "Is this a church now?"

"It's always been a church, love."

I sighed. "No. I know. I mean, it's a Christian church now, right?" I looked over at a statue of Mary.

"Yeah. One of the popes, I can't remember which one, had it converted into a Catholic church. Seems to take away from the history if you ask me." He muttered the last part. "Are you ready to go? It will take us a while to get back to the hotel and we need to get ready for dinner."

"Yeah." He took my hand in his. "Let's go."

We got back to the hotel and got dressed for dinner. I wore a wine colored cocktail dress Alice had packed for me and Edward wore a charcoal gray suit and tie. I stepped out of the bathroom and slipped my shoe on my foot, glancing at Edward as I did--then I looked at him again.

He was standing in front of me, looking incredible, holding a bouquet of yellow tulips.

"Wha-?" I stammered. "What are these for?"

"I had the hotel manager pick something up. It dawned on me the other week that I'd only bought you flowers once. When Claire was born." He frowned, looking like he was upset with himself. "I thought it would be nice to do something different for you."

I walked over to him and took them from his hand, breathing them in deeply. They smelled amazing. "They're beautiful." I felt myself tearing up. "Shit," I muttered, carefully wiping my eyes without messing up the little bit of makeup I'd put on.

"Do you like them?" I could only nod. "You know that during the Victorian times certain flowers held meanings. " He took a deep breath. "Yellow tulips mean 'hopelessly in love'."

I took the single step that was between us and crushed myself against him. It was such a small gesture, but it held so much promise, it was all I could do to keep from sobbing.

"Thank you," I breathed against his chest. I looked back up at him and smiled. "Let's get these in some water."

I started to walk away from him but he didn't let me go. "Bella." I looked back at him. "I know you don't like gifts and surprises, which is probably why I've never bought you flowers before, but I want you to know that I love you, so much." He took my face in his hands and kissed the tip of my nose, before kissing both of my eyelids, then brushing his lips against mine. "I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me and even though I don't show you like I should--like I want--I appreciate everything you do, everything you say; everything you are." His beautiful green eyes swirled with emotion. "Thank you for loving me. I could tell you that every day for the rest of my life and it still wouldn't be enough."

"Edward." A single sob escaped from my throat. "I love you, too. I'll try to be better about accepting gifts from you. I promise. I don't want you to ever feel like you can't do something you want because of the reaction you might get from me. I'm sorry."

He smiled at me. "Don't be sorry. It's who you are. And I love who you are. I just wish I could spoil you, that's all."

"You already do."

We stood there for a little while longer, holding on to each other before we finally put the flowers in water and headed out to the restaurant where Alice and Jasper were waiting.

We walked inside and gave the hostess our coats before we made our way over to the table.

Edward put his hand on the small of my back and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You look phenomenal, by the way. I forgot to tell you that earlier."

"Thanks. You look really good, too." I was blushing.

"Think you're going to want to bring Claire back with us and skip the play?" His voice was rough.

"No, not tonight." I couldn't wait to see my daughter, but I suddenly wanted to strip Edward of his clothes and devour him.

He chuckled. "Thank God."

We got to the table and I excitedly greeted Alice and Jasper before taking Claire away from Edward and hugging her close to me, breathing in her wonderful scent. I looked down and was rewarded with a wide smile.

"Oh, baby. Mommy missed you," I cooed. I looked over at Alice. "So she was good?"

"She was fantastic, Bells." Alice raised her eyebrow. "How's your trip been so far?"

I knew what she was getting at and felt the heat rise to my cheeks. "It's been great, Alice." I warned her with my eyes. I was not divulging any information about my sex life.

"What all have you guys seen?" Jasper asked as he took a drink of wine.

Edward answered, scooting his chair closer to where Claire and I were. "I took Bella to see the Coliseum, Arch of Constantine, the Forum, Circus Maxims, and a few other places yesterday and then today we walked around the Piazza del Popolo and saw the Twin Churches, then went through the Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. We're going to see a play at the Villa tonight."

"Wow, you two have been busy!" Alice was beaming. "You guys had any time alone?"

"Yes," Edward chuckled. "We've had a lot, actually." I kept silent because I knew I was red again.

The rest of our time in Rome was much of the same. We toured the city during the day and met up with Alice and Jasper for dinner to spend time with Claire before going back to our hotel alone and spending the night worshiping each other. We managed to see everything I wanted before it was finally time to leave.

"So, where are we going now?"

"We're going to drive down to Naples for the day and then we'll fly up to Venice and spend a few days there before heading over to Tuscany for another few days I thought you might like to see Florence. Then, I'm taking you some place tropical."

"Where?" I loved seeing all the history and culture Italy had to offer, but the thought of walking down a white sandy beach was extremely enticing.

"I'll tell you when we leave Florence. I've spilled enough secrets for one day."

"Fine."

I took one last look at the suite where we started our honeymoon. "Are you ready, love?"

"Yes." I turned back and looked at my husband. "Edward, this has been amazing so far."

"I'm glad you think so, but it's not over yet. Ali and Jazz are only going to be with us in Italy, then they're flying home with Claire so that I can spend the last few days of our honeymoon with you alone. I don't plan leaving our room much." I saw the fire flash in his eye and felt it rush through my body.

"We'd better get out of here before I make us late for check-out." He raised his eyebrows but never said a word.

**I thought I'd break up the honeymoon into a couple of chapters. I didn't want to describe every little thing they did, but I didn't want to try to cram two weeks into one summarized chapter, either. Hopefully, they'll get the internet fixed and the next update won't take as long!**


	35. Chapter 35

**In case you're wondering, I've been to all these cities...I didn't want to try to describe somplace I've not been, it was hard enough with Seattle!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews! I love getting them!**

**LEMONS AHEAD...apparently my mind was in the gutter when I wrote this...which reminds me, this chapter was sooo much fun to write!**

Chapter 35

Bella

We picked up the tiny rental car Edward had reserved and headed south to Naples. It wasn't long before I had fallen asleep, resting my head against the window. I felt the car stop and looked over at Edward questioningly.

"I've got to eat. I'm starving." I felt my stomach growl and nodded.

We walked into the gas station and I picked out a couple of sandwiches while Edward went over and ordered an espresso. I watched people grab their espressos and stand at a table, drinking quickly, before heading right back out the door. It was completely different than in the States.

I walked over to the cash register to pay, thinking I would have no problem. Wrong. The cashier totaled up my items and spit out the amount in quick Italian. I looked at the register, since I couldn't understand a word he said and practically freaked. It looked like I owed the man over sixteen thousand Euros.

"Edward?" I called, hoping he heard me while I rifled through my wallet. _Surely twenty Euros is enough, right?_

I tentatively handed the cashier the note and he quickly made my change. I grabbed my bag and walked out the door, rubbing my face with my hand. Edward came out just after me, holding two cups of coffee.

"I had to practically fight for this. The man didn't want to give it to me. Most people around here don't stop in for _caffe_." He said the last word sarcastically.

"It's okay." I took the coffee from him and gave him a quick thanks.

"You look flushed. What's the matter?"

"I uh..." I was pretty embarrassed about it, actually. "I kind of freaked out when I paid for our sandwiches." He gave me a strange look. "The cash register made it look like it was thousands of Euros."

He looked at me and held in the majority of his laughter. I felt my face get red. "I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you that they use commas instead of decimal points." I still didn't understand. "Let me explain it like we're back home. The comma separates the dollars from the cents instead of a period. Make sense?"

"Oh. Yes. That would have been helpful. I'm sure he thought I was a complete moron."

He wrapped his arm around me as we walked to the car. "You'll get the hang of it."

We arrived in Naples just after eleven and Edward drove us through the city, to the Pompeii ruins. I looked out the window, watching Mt. Vesuvius on the horizon. We parked and made our way to the entrance, stopping to pay along the way.

We walked in and listened to the audio guide as we walked around the training grounds for the gladiators. Edward took a few pictures, one of us together before we made our way through the theater. I climbed all the way to the top and waved down at Edward, who grinned back at me as he took a picture. I grabbed my camera out of my pocket and took one of him. Then we both snapped one at the same time, which caused me to giggle.

I carefully climbed back down and we then trekked through the city. Edward pointed out the stones that rose above the rest of the cobbled street, noting that it was where they stopped the chariots and let the passengers off in the rain. The steps were perfectly spaced for the chariots' wheels and acted as stepping stones so that their feet did not get wet.

"I must have missed that part," I muttered, making Edward chuckle.

We continued to walk through the streets, looking at how the people lived, ate, bathed, and cooked before we walked over to the forum. We then walked over to the House of the Faun and looked at all the frescos that were on the walls.

After looking at part of the winery that was located there, Edward wanted to walk over to the amphitheater and the burial grounds before we came back through and saw the Garden of the Fugitives. He checked the map and began walking down a narrow road, holding my hand and pulling me behind him.

"Edward. We're lost." The road seemed to get narrower and narrower and there were no longer people around us.

"No. It's a shortcut." I looked over at him in disbelief.

"Please tell me you're not doing some sort of typical male behavior thing right now and refusing to ask for directions."

"No. But in case you haven't noticed, there's no one to ask anyway."

I looked around and saw that we were now in the area where more of the city was being unearthed.

"I don't think we're supposed to be here."

He shrugged and pulled me into a building while he checked his map. I could hear him talking to himself as he focused on getting us to the amphitheater.

"Okay. I'm pretty sure the amphitheater is that way." He pointed to the back of the building. "If we keep taking the road we were on, then take a left at the next road, we should get to it that way."

I stubbornly crossed my arms across my chest and leaned against the wall. "I think we should just go back the way we came."

He looked over at me with his brows knit. "No. That will take twice as long."

"Edward. I'm not chasing you all over the place."

He looked around before he cocked his brow and looked at me for a moment. His eyes seemed to instantly darken as he walked to me, looking like a lion stalking his prey. "You don't think I can do it?"

I swallowed convulsively. He looked dangerous--sexy. "I..I didn't say that," I stammered. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

Before I could register what was happening, he slipped his hands inside my coat and ran his cold fingers up my stomach and over the bottom of my breasts.

"I think this shortcut was an excellent idea." His voice was thick.

"Edward-" I cut off what I was going to say when I felt one of his hands unbutton my jeans. "Oh, God," I whimpered. Were we really going to do this here?

"No, it's just me." His dark green eyes met mine. "But you can call me that all you want."

He licked a trail across my jaw and nibbled on my ear as he worked my jeans and underwear down my legs.

"Kick them off, Isabella." I could hear his belt clink as he undid it and watched him slide his jeans down to his knees.

I quickly complied, glancing over my shoulder before looking into Edward's scorching eyes. "Do you...is..." I couldn't think straight. Who knew Edward had it in him? Who knew I had it in me? "Is this a good idea?"

"I think it's the best idea I've ever had." He ran his fingers down my slit and groaned. "You must think it's a pretty good idea also."

His hands moved to my hips and he picked me up, sliding himself into me in one swift movement. I moaned as he pulled out and forcefully pushed himself back in. I could feel my body pounding against the wall in time with Edward's thrusts and felt my eyes roll back in my head. There was a part of my brain that wondered if we'd get caught, but I couldn't seem to make myself care. I felt my entire body tighten up around Edward, my thighs squeezing his waist and I knew I was close.

I let out a load moan as I came, triggering Edward's orgasm in response. It was fast, it was hard, and it was quick. It was one of the best orgasms I'd ever had with Edward. I swear I saw stars.

"That was..." I couldn't even begin to describe it.

"Yeah." He had a smug smile on his face as he put me down and pulled his jeans up.

I quickly threw on my jeans and followed Edward down the street. The amphitheater was only a block away. We both stopped abruptly when we saw it.

"Well, that was closer than I thought it would be," I said, pushing my hair out of my face.

"Yes. It was." I looked over to see his cheeks were red.

"Are you blushing?!" I asked in shock.

"Well, it's not like I planned on doing it that close to where all these people were, much less at all!"

I giggled. "Well, you certainly caught me by surprise."

He pulled me close to him and kissed me on the forehead as we walked into the amphitheater. "It was fucking amazing though, Bella." I looked up at him and nodded.

We walked around the amphitheater and then the necropolis before we finally went to the Garden of the Fugitives.

I looked in the Plexiglas enclosure and felt the sadness creep in my body. I walked a few steps over and saw a man reaching out to his child. I had to look away, it was too much. I walked over to the opposite side of the area we were in and waited for Edward to finish.

"Are you all right?" he asked as he came over to me.

"I'm fine. It was just too sad for me to stand there and look at. So I came over here." I shrugged.

He nodded and ran his fingers down my jaw. "Are you ready to go?" He looked at the sky. "It's going to get dark soon."

"Yeah, let's go."

******************************

Edward

I got us checked into the hotel and put our suitcases in the closet while Bella ran out to the balcony.

"Holy-!" I heard her yell and couldn't help but laugh.

I walked out there and looked out at the sunset on the Bay of Naples. "You like?"

"Where on Earth are we?" She looked back at me. "Is this Naples?"

"No. Actually, it's Sorrento. You see that island there?" I pointed in the distance and she nodded. "That's Capri. I thought we could spend the morning there before catching our flight to Venice tomorrow."

"Edward. We're on a cliff." She looked down. "This is insane."

I looked down to see the makeshift beach set up on a flat rock that extended into the sea. "Yes. It is." I smiled crookedly at her. "It's supposed to be sixty outside tomorrow. Would a boat ride interest you?"

She looked at me, smiling. "Do I have any choice?"

"No." My cell phone buzzed in my pocket and I quickly pulled it out, looking at the caller ID. "Hey, Ali."

"Hey, Edward. We just got off the boat from Capri. Claire fell asleep as soon as we got on it. Never woke up the entire time we were there. It was so cute. She sat in her stroller all bundled up with her mouth hanging open the whole time." I chuckled. "So anyway, Jazz and I were wondering what you guys' plans for tonight were."

"Actually, would you like to bring Claire to our hotel and spend a night alone?" I looked over at Bella who smiled her approval.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." I could hear the smile in my own voice. "We'll meet you at the restaurant downstairs for dinner at seven? Then you and Jazz can have a night to yourselves."

I could hear her sigh over the phone. "Thanks. We love having her, but after five days, I could use a minute to myself."

"I completely understand," I laughed. "I'll see you later." I hung up the phone and looked at Bella. "Is that okay?"

"Perfect," she grinned.

"I guess I need to call for a crib or something." I picked up the phone and asked for them to send one up when they came to turn down the bed. "Now, I guess since our daughter will be a mere five feet away from us tonight, I should take advantage of the time I have alone with you before we meet up with Ali and Jazz." I could feel myself getting hard at the thought.

"Edward!" She looked at her watch. "You just got laid two hours ago!"

I raised my eyebrows. "And your point is?"

Her face flushed, causing my little problem to grow bigger. "Apparently, I don't have one."

******************************

We caught a water taxi to Capri the next morning with Claire. We had been moving for only five minutes when I glanced over at Claire and laughed quietly. She was out.

"Ali wasn't kidding." I pointed to Claire and Bella's eyes widened. "I wonder how long she'll sleep for."

"I hope she doesn't sleep all day. What are we going to do with her on the flight to Venice?"

I rubbed Bella's hand soothingly. "The flight's only an hour long. I'm sure we can manage."

She visibly relaxed. "Oh."

We got to Capri and poked around the shops that lined the marina for a while before finally getting on one of the tour boats that went around the island. I practically forced Bella to buy a few souvenirs for herself and Renee. We had already had some pottery shipped back home for Rosalie and Esme, even though Bella protested the price. I had snuck in the slate blue dresser that Bella had her eye on at the shop when I was at the register. I didn't know where we put it, but I knew Bella wanted it--even if she wouldn't admit it.

We made it out of the marina, and the guide pointed out a statue that stood high in the cliffs off the shore. I made sure that I translated everything I said to the guide for Bella, and watched her shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Am I turning you on?" I asked in surprised.

"A little," she replied sheepishly, her face deepening in color. She glanced over at me. "You could be reading our grocery list from back home in Italian and it would still be sexy."

"I'll keep that in mind," I promised. I'd have to study up on my French. Surely that would be even better than Italian.

We reached the Blue Grotto, and the guide pulled the boat in close enough so we could see the turquoise color of the water as the light hit it. I watched Bella's reaction closely and noticed she was grinning widely.

"That is the prettiest color of blue I have ever seen in my life," she breathed excitedly. I made a mental note of that for the future.

We backed away from the grotto and went over to Faraglioni Rocks and I made sure I took pictures as we approached them. I had forgotten to during my last trip to Italy. We went under one of the rocks and then circled around the island before we docked back at the marina.

I helped Bella off the boat before grabbing Claire's stroller, with my sleeping daughter still in it, and we headed over to one of the restaurants to grab a bite to eat before heading back to the mainland.

We got back to the hotel and I buckled Claire's carrier into the back of the car and broke her stroller down, shoving it into the seat beside her, before we drove to the airport.

We returned the rental car and got our boarding passes just as Claire woke up. Bella took her out of her carrier and held her until we made it to our gate. Once we were settled, I ran over to one of the coffee stands and asked the barista for some hot water and paid for a bottle of cold water from the case. I went back over to where my girls were sitting and mixed the water together in Claire's bottle, before adding the formula and giving it to Bella.

Bella looked at me gratefully. "Thanks. I don't think I could have done that." She gave the bottle to Claire, who sucked on it furiously.

"I guess I should have told you where we were going instead of keeping it a surprise. That way, you could have learned a little bit of Italian before we got here." I ran my hand through my hair. "I'm sorry. I can't help but feel like I've made you a bit helpless over here."

"Don't apologize. I have you with me. But if we ever come back, I want to at least know how to ask for the bathroom on my own." She blew her hair out of her eyes and smiled at me.

"Done." I winked.

We boarded the plane and sat down. I took Claire for Bella and played with her for a while, looking up for Jasper and Alice every now and then. Just before the flight was finished boarding, they rushed through the door and sat in the seat behind us.

"Hey, guys. I thought we were going to miss the flight!" Alice chirped loudly behind us.

Bella gave her a strange look. I looked at her again and noticed she looked a bit...disheveled.

"What the hell happened to you?" I asked in surprise.

"What?" She felt her hair. "Oh. We were jewelry shopping. I got a little carried away."

I rolled my eyes and heard Bella snort beside me.

Alice saw our reactions and scowled. "That's not all we did! I saw that volcano, too. We hiked, damnit! I can't look perfect when I'm outdoors, it's just not possible! Especially with all that sulfuric gas that explodes everywhere." She sat back and crossed her arms.

I shifted in my seat to look at her. "You went to Vulcano Solfatara?" I asked in shock.

"Jasper wanted to go."

I looked over at Jasper who was grinning. "Nice choice," I told him.

"Thanks."

I saw Bella looking at me, frowning. "Why didn't you take me there if you liked it so much?"

"Bella, love." I tried to be kind. "You...hiking..." I trailed off.

"Oh." Her eyes flashed with understanding. "Probably not the safest thing for us to do, huh?"

"Not unless you'd like to experience an Italian ER."

She lightly punched me on the shoulder. "Hey! I'm not that bad!"

I just looked at her and kept my mouth shut. Sure, she didn't fall _every_ day, but she did frequently trip or bang some part of her body on the furniture around her. She had absolutely no idea how nervous I was the entire time she was pregnant. And I intended to keep it that way. She would not be pleased if she knew. _Stubborn woman_, I thought with a smile.

The flight took off and everyone around me somehow managed to fall asleep within minutes, with the exception of Claire.

"I guess it's just me and you." I sat her up on my lap so that she was facing me and braced her with my hands. "You got your nap out today while Mommy and I went to Capri." I was rewarded with a wide, toothless grin. "Well, thank you for being so good for us." I grinned back at her and kissed her head.

"She's beautiful." I heard a heavily accented voice from the aisle and looked up to see the flight attendant smiling at me.

"Grazie." Her eyes widened.

"Ha l'aspetto di te."

I smiled. "Si. Ma lei ha gli occhi di sua madre."

She looked closely at Claire and then back at me. "Si." She then pointed to Bella. "Che è tua moglie?"

"Si."

She looked at Bella, smiling before she nodded at me and asked if I wanted a drink. The flight attendant came back with my water, which I thanked her for, and I spent the rest of the flight playing with my daughter.

******************************

We had arrived in Venice late in the afternoon and stopped to grab something to eat with Jasper and Alice before giving them Claire and heading to our hotel.

After a quick change into something a little nicer, we decided to take a stroll through the city since it was unseasonably warm. We went out on the street side of the hotel, since we weren't planning on going very far. I led us to the left and we walked down the street, laughing and talking as we stopped into certain shops that interested us. Before we knew it, we were at Rialto Bridge.

"Oh, wow!" Bella cried as we walked under the portico. "There are shops in here! How cool is that?! Alice will love this place!"

I chuckled and let her lead the way as she walked from shop to shop, looking through everything they had to offer. We reached the top of the bridge and looked out into the canal.

"Gondola ride?" I asked with a wicked glint in my eye. I had an idea.

She groaned. "Seriously?"

"You expected to come to Venice without going on one?" I cocked my eyebrow.

"Well, no. But, it just seems so cheesy."

I laughed. "It's only cheesy in Vegas, love." I took her hand. "Come on, before it gets too late."

I led her down the bridge and over to where the gondolas were docked. One of the men came up and smiled at me.

"Ciao! Cura per un giro?"

"Si, grazie." I helped Bella into the boat before walking back over to gondolier.

Even though I knew Bella couldn't understand me, I quietly asked him if he could give us a bit of extra time, handing him some money while explaining I was on my honeymoon. He quickly agreed and told me that I could have as much time as I wanted and handed me a light blanket, telling me that it tended to be chilly on the water.

I sat next to Bella and covered us up with the blanket as we started out into the canal, listening to the gondolier sing.

My hand rested on her thigh, but I found it slowly snaking up her leg as we went under the first bridge. I was fortunate Bella had slipped into a skirt earlier. My fingers grazed the line of her panties and I saw her eyes widen. She attempted to swat my hand away, but I refused to move. I quickly looked back at the gondolier, silently pointing out that he wasn't paying a bit of attention to us, and shook my head at her. I kept stroking her through the cotton of her panties and felt them slowly dampen against my fingers.

We made it to the second bridge and I pushed the barrier out of the way, plunging two of my fingers into her as my thumb grazed her clit. She gasped and it was my turn to look shocked. I looked back at the gondolier, who was still singing, and figured he must not have heard her or that he took my money seriously. Either way, it worked for me. I took my other hand to my mouth and signed for her to be quiet just as I began pumping my fingers in and out of her.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes as I continued to work her with my hand. I could feel her muscles contract around my fingers, so I began circling her clit with my thumb as I continued moving my now slick fingers in and out of her.

Finally, she clutched onto the bench and threw her head onto my shoulder while her muscles convulsed around my fingers. I slowly pulled them out and fixed her underwear, before placing my hand back on her thigh.

I looked down at her and gave her a satisfied grin, causing her to shake her head and laugh.

"Just you wait."

I laughed. "For what?"

"As soon as we get off this freaking boat I am dragging you back to that gorgeous hotel room and then it's payback."

That sounded fantastic. "What kind of payback? It wouldn't happen to involve your beautiful mouth, would it?"

She laughed. "You've become a perv, Edward."

I shrugged. "I'm on my honeymoon. I thought it gave me the allowance to be a perv."

This made her laugh even more. "I guess it does."

We continued the gondola ride in comfortable silence, looking at the all the beautiful sites as we passed by. When we were finally docked, Bella gave the gondolier a shy 'Thank you', earning a wink and a 'Prego' in response.

"I think he knew what we were doing," she said as we walked off the dock.

I looked down to see her blushing furiously. "Probably. But that's why I paid him the big bucks."

She gasped. "Edward Cullen, you did not!" I just grinned. "I can't believe you planned that!"

"What?" I laughed. "What's a gondola ride on your honeymoon without a little clichéd foreplay?"

She shook her head and was trying not to smile. "You dirty man."

"Hey, you were the one who wore the skirt," I pointed out.

"Yes, but that's because practically everything else in my suitcase was for winter weather!"

My brows knit. "You should have had a few things in there for when we leave Italy."

"Oh, I do." I looked at her in confusion. "But none of it is appropriate to wear out in public."

This made me smile broadly. _I love Ali._

We got back to the room and I shut and locked the door behind us. As soon as I turned around, Bella slammed me into the door as she kissed me passionately. I felt all the hair on my body stand at attention and my dick instantly harden.

She quickly undressed me , so that I was now against the door naked. I vaguely noticed she was still fully dressed, much to my disliking.

"You're still dressed," I mumbled against her lips. "Get naked."

"No." She opened her eyes and looked at me. "It's payback, remember?"

I groaned when her hand ran over my rock hard dick. "It would be much better if you were naked."

She gave me a mischievous grin and took off her shirt and unclasped her bra as she knelt down on the floor in front of me. It did not go beyond my attention that her skirt and panties were still on.

"Oh, dear God," I gasped as I watched her take me into her mouth.

She went down my shaft with her mouth before licking the tip like a lollipop and then circled to the underside, licking up it as she cupped my balls in her hand. Her hands latched on to my hips and she took all of me in her, pushing me to the back of her throat. I thought I would explode and heard a strangled moan come out of my mouth.

"Bella," I grunted. "Shit. You're going to make me come."

She looked up at me and smiled, just before licking me again. "I thought that was the point."

"Not in your-" I couldn't think. "Fuck, I-" I gave up. There was no way she was going to let me stop her.

She took me all the way in, then used her hand to pump along with her mouth. I wasn't going to be able to last much longer and I was somewhat coherent enough to know that I needed to give her a warning before I came.

I felt myself bucking into her mouth and had to consciously stop myself. I didn't need to fuck my wife's mouth. She continued to work me in her mouth and before I knew what was happening, I could feel myself on the verge of letting go.

"Bella, I'm close."

I felt my dick hit the back of her throat again as she gently massaged my balls, grazing her teeth lightly along the shaft, and I lost it. I groaned and bucked and moaned something incoherent as she swallowed every bit of it down.

My breathing was ragged and my heart was pounding furiously, but I didn't care. I pulled her up and practically shoved her against the table, facing away from me.

I pulled her panties down off her body before slowly trailing my fingers up her slit and groaned again. "God, you're wet." I leaned down and licked her neck. "Did you like making me come?"

"Yes," she breathed.

I yanked her skirt down and spread her legs with my feet, quickly aligning myself up to her entrance. I grabbed her hips and slammed into her, causing the glasses to fall off the table and onto the floor, shattering as they hit.

I pushed myself further and further into her each time, rocking the table as I did. I could hear the 'thump, thump' as it hit the wall, when only spurred me on further.

I moved one hand to her breast and played with her nipple while my other hand reached around her waist and found her clit.

"Oh, God. Edward!" she cried out and I felt myself thrust even harder into her.

I drove myself into her rhythmically, chanting her name the entire time. I felt like an animal. Like some primal instinct had taken over and driven me to insanity. I was unable to make love to my wife; I could only fuck her. Though my haze, I could hear her moans and grunts, but it still wasn't enough.

I grabbed her leg and moved it so that her foot was on the chair, feeling myself go even deeper in her than before. I shifted my body and felt hers tense up as I hit her most sensitive spot. I pushed her shoulders down towards the table and heard her scream my name as she finally came.

Her walls rippled around me and I could no longer focus on the room around me as my orgasm shot through me with such blinding force, I had to hold on to Bella so that I didn't fall back. As I came to, I could still feel my hips moving with hers and I was in complete shock when I realized I was still hard.

I pulled out and flipped her around so that she was facing me, grabbing her and taking her to the bed. I laid her down and peppered kisses all over her body before I put my mouth on hers, kissing her deeply.

I slowly pushed myself into her and moaned with her as our bodies joined together again.

"Edward-" she swallowed while I moved in and out of her. "What is _with_ you?" she gasped.

"I have no idea." It was like I'd taken Viagra unnecessarily. "Is it a problem?" I murmured against her neck.

"N-No," she stammered. I shifted our bodies and felt her tighten up. "Ugh, Edward."

That was all I needed. I came again, fast and hard, feeling Bella's orgasm milking me as I did.

I practically collapsed on top of her, feeling our bodies slick with sweat, as I waited for our breathing to slow and our heartbeats to return to normal.

I carefully rolled off of her and pulled her into my arms, kissing her softly on the forehead. "We have to come back to Venice," I said seriously. "That was incredible."

She giggled. "What was that about?"

I looked into her eyes. "Must be something in the water."

**If you haven't been to Pompeii, it is very possible to have sex there if you go during off season and there aren't a lot of people milling around. Not that I did, I had my kiddies with me...but obviously the thought crossed my dirty mind lol.**

**Anyways, next chapter should be the last chapter then there will be the epilogue. I already know what I want to include in the epligoue--it's basically going to be a teaser for the sequel since it will be an exerpt from one of the chapters... I just don't know which one yet ;)**


	36. Chapter 36

**Thanks for the reviews! In case you're wondering, and I know a few of you are, there is NOT going to be a honeymoon baby. Bella would be due right around the same time she was due with Claire and I just am not interested in Britney Spearsing it...**

**The last chapter! Boo! I'm not really happy with it, but I think it's because it was ending...Lemons ahead, of course ;)**

Chapter 36

Bella

"God, this is beautiful." I looked out into the valley that sat below us while Edward and I sat on the town wall, drinking a cup of coffee.

It was Christmas Eve, and we were now in Castellina in Chianti, enjoying the morning together before driving over to Florence and touring the city.

"You like it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously, Edward."

He chuckled. "Stupid question, sorry." His face abruptly got serious. "You know, I read your book."

"All of it?" I asked in surprise. I hadn't had time to read a single page in any of the books I'd brought with me, much less read one in its entirety.

"Yeah. I read it on our wedding night."

My eyes widened. "You didn't sleep?"

He smiled broadly at me. "That should be a compliment to you, Bella. I couldn't put it down."

I bit my lip nervously. "Really?"

"Really." He reached over and pushed a strand of hair away from my face. "Did you do a lot of research?"

I had set the story during World War II. It seemed so romantic to me and felt like the perfect backdrop to the characters, Ruthie and Johnny.

I grinned. "Well, when you were out everyday working at the hospital, I went to the library. After I learned all I could from there, I sought out people who actually experienced it. I spoke to ten different people in Seattle who lived through it."

"Really?" He looked out into the valley and thought for a minute. "I felt like I was there, Bella. You did an incredible job describing it."

I felt myself blush. "Thank you."

He looked over at me nervously. "Did you use any personal experience to write the time Ruthie thought Johnny was dead?"

I felt my throat constrict involuntarily. "Yeah."

"And when she found out she was pregnant?" I could only nod. He let out his breath loudly. "I thought so."

I struggled to find my voice for a moment. I didn't want him to feel guilty about things in the past. It didn't bother me like it used to, but I knew Edward still felt unreasonably guilty about it, so I never brought it up. It was just as hard on Edward as it had been on me, and I truly believed that he would never leave me or Claire like that again.

"I wanted it to be a realistic as possible. I tried to describe every feeling and thought I had during those four months you were away. There were times when I couldn't find the words to describe the..." I thought for a second, "the magnitude of what I was going through, but I suppose I did an okay job. My editor said she cried when she read those chapters. Believe it or not, it was pretty theraputic."

Edward hopped off the wall and stood in front of me with his arms wrapped around my waist. "It was phenomenal. You will never cease to amaze me. You are so much more than you give yourself credit for."

"Well, I don't know about that..."

His aggrivated eyes met mine and I quickly shut up. "Yes, you are." He looked back out into the valley. "Now, would you like to go see Florence?"

"Yes."

******************************

We got to Florence an hour later and Edward took me to the Basilica of Santa Croce where we walked around for a while before looking through the market. I absolutely loved Christmas in Italy. As soon as we got out of the car, I heard the faint sound of carols being sung in Italian and could smell the vendors roasting chestnuts. After we looked at the Nativity scene set up in the plaza, we walked over to the Palazzo Vecchio, where the clock tower stood.

"Are you hungry?" Edward asked, taking my hand and leading me through the Piazza della Signoria.

"A little." I stared at Michelangelo's _David._ "Is this..?" I couldn't imagine seeing the famed statue in real life.

"Unfortunately, no. It's a copy. They have the real one in the Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts here though if you'd like to see it."

"If we have time, could we?" I looked at him hopefully.

"Of course, love."

We walked through the plaza, looking over the fountain of Neptune and the numerous other sculptures housed by the palace's portico. After we were finished, Edward led me to a small café that was situated on the opposite side of the plaza.

We finished lunch and walked over to the Uffizi Gallery, taking a quick tour of it before walking over the Ponte Vecchio. We walked over the bridge and looked down at the Arno River.

"That looks disgusting," I said, turning my face up in distaste.

It was so dark, it was almost black and it had this bright green Astroturf-like stuff rolled out on the banks.

Edward laughed quietly. "It is. I don't recommend swimming in it. Unless you'd like some rare, foreign disease."

"I'll remember that." I looked around. "What else is there to do around here?"

"A lot, actually. But I was thinking I'd just take you over to Santa Maria del Fiore and then over to the Academy before dinner. I have reservations at seven. If it's not too late, I figured we could come back and see the Christmas lights with Ali, Jazz, and Claire."

"Alice and Jasper are meeting us there?" He nodded and brushed his thumb down my jaw line. "All right. Well, I guess we'd better get going then, huh, Mr. Tour Guide?" I watched the amusement flash in his eyes.

He motioned for me to go with a flourish of his hands. "After you, Miss."

I shook my finger playfully at him. "Uh-uh. It's Mrs. to you."

He raised his eyebrows and grinned. "I see. Well, your husband is a very lucky man."

"Thank you. I think so, too." I gave him a quick smile and winked.

We walked over to the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and I stood there for a moment, gaping. It was massive. It took up the entire plaza. Edward took pictures while I just looked around in amazement. He glanced back, laughing at my reaction and pulled me along, pointing out the dome, bell tower, and baptistery. He then led me over to the entrance and explained some of the history behind the church before taking me inside. I grabbed my camera, turning off the flash, and snapped pictures of the cathedral. I turned around and took a picture of Edward examining the fresco that decorated the interior of the dome, getting a frown from him in response. I childishly stuck out my tongue which caused him to laugh silently and shake his head at me.

We walked up the stairs to the top of the dome and looked down. It was breathtaking.

"How Brunelleschi figured out how to build something this remarkable in the fourteen hundreds is beyond me."

I looked over at Edward and smiled. "You know everything. You're like a friggin' walking encyclopedia, you know that?"

He smiled crookedly at me. "I'm a sucker for knowledge, what can I say?"

We left the cathedral and went over the Academy's Gallery, stopping by one of the vendors and getting a bag of chestnuts on the way. By the time we were finished at the Academy, it was time to go back over to the car and head over to the restaurant.

We drove by an ice skating rink. "Want to try that again later?"

I looked out the window and cringed. "Uh, no, thanks." He chuckled softly.

Edward parked the car just at the top of the hill and we walked the rest of the way over to the Piazzale Michelangelo, where I was treated to the most beautiful view of Florence, still just visible at twilight. We looked out over the city peacefully until Edward finally spoke up.

"The restaurant is just over there," he said, pointing over to a huge cream colored stucco building, "and I've arranged for us to sit by the terrace so we can see the view while we eat."

I looked more closely at the building and could see Alice and Jasper standing there with Claire's stroller.

"Oh, look! There's Alice and Jasper!"

We walked over to them and I quickly said my hellos before grabbing Claire out of her stroller. I took her over to Edward, who was now talking on the phone. We quietly played with Claire while he finished up his conversation.

He put his phone back in his pocket and put his hand on the small of my back, leaning in close to me. "Esme says for you to try their mushroom ravioli. She says it's to die for." He rolled his eyes as he repeated his mother's words.

"I think I just might."

Before any of us realized what was happening, the sky opened up and poured rain on us. We rushed in the restaurant, laughing loudly as we shook the rain off our bodies. Just as quickly as it began, the rain stopped, leaving the streets outside glistening in the soft glow of the street lamps.

We ate and laughed all during dinner, although I noticed I had to swat Edward's hand away as he snuck it up my thigh more than usual. I looked over at him, careful to make sure Alice and Jasper weren't watching, and mouthed the words 'Are you drinking the water?' Ever since that night in Venice, it had been a running joke with us.

He flashed a wide grin and nodded almost imperceptibly as he picked up his glass of water. I bit my lip and shifted uncomfortably in my seat as I watched his Adam's apple bob with his swallows. _The things that man could do to me without even trying_.

We finished dinner and all drove back down the hill, towards the Piazza della Repubblica. We got into the plaza and I smiled at the huge Christmas tree that stood off to the side.

"Look! There's a carousel!" I looked back at Edward, who was pushing Claire in her stroller. "I know she's too little to enjoy it, but let's go take her on it!" I don't know why this excited me so much.

He gave me a beaming smile. "All right."

We gave the man our tickets and all hopped on the carousel. Alice and Jasper sat on horses in front of the stationary carriage that Edward and I sat on with Claire.

I snuggled into Edward and felt his arm squeeze me tightly. I looked up and noticed Alice had her camera out, taking pictures of us.

After walking around the plaza some more, we walked the few blocks back over to the Arno. I gasped at the sight in front of me. The lights from the street twinkled and danced across the water. It looked nothing like the dirty river I'd seen in the daylight.

We got back to the hotel and Edward went over to the front desk. I started to walk to the stairs, but stopped when I noticed he wasn't with me anymore.

"Go on up, love. I'll be right there."

I silently turned and made the way reluctantly to our suite. As soon as I walked in the door, I went into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed. Walking around all day was exhausting.

I didn't realize Edward had come up to the room until I felt the bed shift with his weight as he sat down on it.

"Come on, Bella. Let's get you in the bath. It will help relax your muscles."

"Only if you come with me," I mumbled into the comforter.

"You don't have to ask me twice. Getting a chance to see you naked is something I could never pass up."

I laughed and let him carry me into the bathroom. I was too tired to protest. He gently put me down and it was then I took notice of what he had done.

The bath was already ran, sending the scent of lavender in the air. There were pale pink rose petals floating in the water and the only light in the room was the dozens of candles that lined the tub.

"No wonder you weren't going to argue with me," I said with a giggle.

"I wasn't expecting to get lucky. I just wanted to make sure you were pampered a little since we did so much walking today." He pulled his shirt off. "Now, do you want the bath or not? Because if you do, you need to get undressed."

I stood there and watched his extraordinary body as he got in the water. Once he was submerged, I tied my hair up in a knot, stripped out of the rest of my clothes, and joined him, sighing as the calming, hot water met my tired legs and feet.

"This was really thoughtful," I said, breaking the silence.

"Thanks." He grabbed the sponge, getting it wet with water, and ran it across my back. I moaned softly. "Feel good?" I felt his lips press against my neck, sending chills down my spine.

"Yes."

He continued to run the sponge across the exposed areas of my body, occasionally kissing me or skimming his fingers across my skin. I could feel my body heat up with his touch and I found myself wishing he would move those clever fingers elsewhere.

After a while, he rung out the sponge and put it back on the ledge of the tub. "I'm getting a little hot." He held up his hand. "And I'm all wrinkled up. Want to get out?"

"Sure." I went to get out but he held me in place.

"Don't get dressed. Just go to the bed."

I felt the anticipation rush through my body. I didn't trust my voice, so I merely nodded.

I sat there with the towel wrapped around me while Edward took care of everything in the bathroom. He came out, completely naked, and I bit my lip anxiously. He grabbed a bottle of my lotion off the dresser and walked over to the bed.

"Lay on your stomach and give me your feet." I did as instructed. "And for God's sake, take off that towel."

I laughed a little and unwrapped the towel from my body. "Is this better?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at him.

He raked his eyes over my body, causing me to blush. "Much."

He opened the bottle and put a huge blob of lotion in his palm, rubbed his hands together, and then started massaging my foot. I groaned loudly, to my embarrassment. He cocked his eyebrow at me and I shrugged before I laid my head down. My feet no longer ached, but they were still sore to the touch.

He worked on my feet, then moved his hands slowly up my legs, gently working all the knots out as he did. He got to my ass and I felt him linger there for a while before sliding his hands over the small of my back.

I felt his body shift so that he was kneeling over me as he continued to work up my back. He got to my shoulders and moved his knee so that it was in between my legs. I could feel his erection lightly graze my ass as he leaned over me and focused on my neck. I could feel my entire body flush, getting hotter and hotter, each time he brushed up against me. It was pure torture.

When he was finally done, he moved back down my back, cupping my ass gently in his hands, before he slid one hand in between my thighs. He ran his fingers lightly up and down my slit while he brushed his lips across the back of my neck, moving down my shoulder. His hand ran back down my thigh, where he pushed it out and moved himself in between my legs.

I felt the tip of him just at my entrance as his hands continued to glide across my body. His tongue ran across my neck and I felt his hot breath on my ear, causing me to shiver involuntarily.

"I would continue the foreplay, but I believe we've had enough for the evening."

I moaned, which he thankfully interpreted to be a yes, and felt him glide himself into me. He moved in and out as I laid there, feeling his hands and mouth trail across my back. After a while, he moved my leg back so that they were together again. He cupped my ass and I wanted to raise up and push back against him as he continued to thrust into me, hitting my g-spot with perfect accuracy.

He felt me tense up and moved back to my ear. "Relax, love. Just let me take you."

I gripped the sheets as I felt my body tightening up. "God, Edward. This feels so good."

"I know," he whispered.

"Ugh," I groaned, unable to form a response. I was so close.

I felt him shift slightly as he pushed back into me and I pulled on the sheets, ripping them off the bed, as I came hard. I could hear myself let out some sort of a strangled moan, muffled by the bed, but didn't have time to dwell on it since Edward's hands had grabbed my hips and pulled me up so that I was on my hands and knees.

He drove himself deep into me and I heard the slap our bodies made as Edward pulled me onto him, harder and harder each time. It wasn't long before I was on the edge again, just waiting for release.

Edward seemed to sense it and I felt his hand moved down my body and around my waist, so that his fingers gently grazed my clit, finally pushing me over the edge. I felt my walls ripple around him as he thrust into me, one last time, chanting my name as he came with me.

******************************

Edward

I woke up and quietly slipped out of Bella's firm grip and then headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take a quick shower. I had a lot of things I needed to get done this morning, hopefully before Bella woke up. We had one last afternoon in Tuscany before we were scheduled to leave for Fiji.

I slipped out of the room, silently closing the bedroom door, and went downstairs to the front desk. I had spoken to the owners the night before about bringing a Christmas tree into the room so that Bella and I could celebrate Christmas with our daughter.

I found Ali and Jazz sitting in the lobby with Claire. After Alice finished feeding her, she put Claire in her carrier and followed Jasper and I upstairs with the tree.

We got the tree set up and Alice decorated it while Jasper and I started a fire in the fireplace. Alice came over and hung stockings that she had bought the day before on the mantle before shooing me out the door so that she could finish putting gifts under the tree for Claire without me 'hovering'.

I went downstairs and into the kitchen and helped out with breakfast. We made cappuccinos, eggs, and sausage, and put brioche, croissants, and juice on the trays before carrying them all upstairs. Alice and Jasper dug in almost as soon as I walked away. I couldn't help but laugh at the vultures.

I got Bella's gift out of my suitcase and put it under the tree. I then took Claire out of her carrier, taking her with me, as I nervously walked into the bedroom. Bella was still asleep, face down in the pillow with her hair covering her up.

I moved the hair out of her face and softly stroked her cheek before placing a light kiss on her temple.

"Love?"

She stirred. "Edward?"

"Merry Christmas," I said quietly.

"Mmm. Merry Christmas to you, too."

I smiled. "I've got breakfast if you're hungry."

She opened her eyes and looked at me, yawning. "What time is it?"

"It's a little after eight."

Her eyes darted over to Claire and her face broke out into a wide smile. She sat up and stretched and I had to bite back a moan as I took in her naked body. She pulled the sheet back up and motioned for me to hand her Claire. I sat there watching her coo and talk to our daughter for a while before she finally gave her back to me and went to get dressed. It suddenly dawned on me how much of an amazing mother Bella was.

After she was dressed, I put my hand on the small of her back, and led her out of the bedroom. As soon as she walked out the door, she abruptly stopped and I could have sworn I heard a slight gasp come out of her mouth.

"We have a tree!" She looked over at the fireplace. "And stockings!"

"We may be on our honeymoon, but I wasn't going to let Christmas pass us by without doing _something_ to celebrate it."

"Merry Christmas, Bells!" Alice sang out from the table.

"Merry Christmas, guys." I could see the happiness in her eyes.

Her teary eyes ran across the room, stopping again at the tree. Her expression swiftly changed to annoyance, and I knew she saw the gifts.

"I thought we agreed not to get anything for each other this year since we _just_ exchanged wedding gifts ten days ago." Her eyes were fierce and her hands were on her hips.

_Like I cared._ I may allow her hatred of gifts and surprises keep me from doing things for her on a daily basis, but it wasn't going to stop me from celebrating the holidays with her.

"Well, I thought of something you needed so I got it for you." I walked over to the table. "It's not a big deal. Besides, most of them are for Claire." I said nonchalantly, hoping she would drop it.

She went to sit in one of the empty chairs, talking cheerfully with Alice and Jasper but never said anything else to me. _Shit._ I was seriously beginning to regret my actions this morning. I didn't want to ruin our last day in Italy over a stupid fucking present.

"Are you mad?" I asked, clearing up the table.

Alice and Jasper were sitting on the floor watching Claire try to figure out how to hold a toy.

"No." She didn't move.

"Then what's wrong?"

"I feel like an ass." I looked at her questioningly and I noticed her eyes were watery. I had to bite back a groan. I felt like such a dick. "I honestly thought you wouldn't get me anything so I didn't buy you anything."

"I don't want anything. I already got you--ten days ago."

She gave me a slight smile while she blushed. "Edward..."

I pulled her out of the chair and hugged her to me. "I honestly didn't plan on buying you something. It's not romantic or special in any way. It's practical." I leaned back held up my hand. "Scout's honor. Just don't be upset. I _hate_ to see you cry." I stared into her beautiful brown eyes. "Please?"

"Okay," she relented.

I sighed in relief and placed a quick kiss on her lips. We walked over and all started pulling our presents out from under the tree, laughing and talking about our trip and our families and friends back home. I let Bella open up all of Claire's gifts before finally handing her the present I bought her.

She opened it up and smiled at the new laptop I'd given her. Hers was on the verge of crashing.

"I had all of your work transferred over to this computer. Everything's already set up for you. All you have to do is finish where you left off." She had a _ton_ of book ideas and little excerpts written for future stories already.

"Thank you. It's great."

I scrutinized her face to see if she was still upset. Thankfully, I saw nothing marring her beautiful smile.

******************************

Denarau Island was gorgeous. Well, the little bit I saw of it, anyway. We'd been there for two days and I'd barely let Bella out of our bed. I wasn't lying when I said I planned to keep her in the bedroom for the four days we were here.

I watched Bella walk across the room, bending over to pick up her robe.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She turned around and frowned. "I'm getting dressed." She dropped her eyes at the robe in her hand. "Well, sort of."

"I don't think so. Nakedness is required at all times in this room. Those are the rules." I smirked at her.

"Are these purported rules posted somewhere, Edward?"

"Yes, they are." She raised her eyebrows at me. "They're right here." I pointed underneath the covers. "But you have to come over here to see them. There's some fine print involved."

She laughed loudly, one of my favorite sounds in the world, as she came over and straddled me. She leaned down and kissed me, sliding her tongue in my mouth, and I couldn't help but groan as all the blood in my body worked its way to my dick.

"Hmm. Ready again so soon?" Now it was her turn to smirk.

She wiggled her hips against me and I threw her off to the side, rolling on top of her and rubbing my dick along her slit.

I felt her immediate response. "I am. And so are you."

******************************

We finally made our way out to the private beach that surrounded our villa the next day at Bella's insistence. I was perfectly content to stay in the room and have sex with her until it was time to go back home, but apparently my wife had other plans.

We set ourselves up under the umbrella and slapped sunscreen all over each other. We laid there, relaxing, listening to my iPod for a couple hours before I felt Bella shift in the chaise beside me. I looked over to see her sitting up.

"I'm hot."

"Want to take a swim?"

She nodded. "Yes."

We waded out into the crystal clear water until Bella could no longer touch. I pulled her into my arms and felt her legs wrap around my waist. I looked around and smiled back down at her.

"You know, there's no one out here but us."

She closed her eyes. "I know. It's so peaceful."

Not exactly what I was thinking. "Yeah, it is. Want to make it a little _less_ peaceful?"

I worked my hand down the seam of her black bikini bottoms and slowly lifted them up, barely stroking the skin underneath.

She opened one eye and looked at me. "Haven't you had enough yet?" I looked at her, puzzled. "How many times have we had sex in the last couple of days?" She was smiling at me, so I knew she was joking.

I shrugged my shoulders. " I lost count." I heard her laugh and I grinned. "Now, are you going to keep talking through this?"

I moved my hand further into her bottoms and plunged my finger inside her, running my thumb across her clit at the same time. I watched her bite her lip, moaning softly as I pulled my finger in and out slowly.

"You can be as loud as you want, love." Her eyes met mine and I added another finger, curling them inwards and hearing her quick intake of breath.

I continued to move my fingers in and out her, speeding up slowly as her moans continuously got louder and louder. I circled her clit with my thumb and felt her hips buck upwards as she came loudly.

As soon as her muscles stopped spasming around my fingers, I quickly pulled my now aching dick from my trunks and pushed her bottoms further to the side, thrusting roughly into her.

"Fuck," I groaned, pulling back and slamming back in to her.

I trailed kisses all over her neck and collarbone, occasionally coming back to her perfect mouth, as I continued my motions down below, my hands directing her hips up and down my dick while her heels dug into my ass. I listened to the water slosh between our bodies, trying not to come as Bella's legs tightened up around me.

"Edward!" she cried. Her brows were knit and her lips was pulled between her teeth again.

"Come with me?" I grunted, parting her lips with mine one last time before I completely lost it.

I yelled out her name breathlessly as I released inside her. She let out a low moan as she came with me, twitching slightly as her body convulsed around me.

My breathing was heavy but I managed to kiss her softly, running my nose against hers. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you, Edward."

******************************

"Got everything, love?"

Our flight back to Seattle left in three hours.

"Yeah, I think so." She looked around the villa one last time and then followed me out the door.

We got to the airport and checked our baggage. I grabbed Bella a bottle of water and an apple and gave it to her as she stepped out of the bathroom. She devoured it before we made it to the gate.

"Were you hungry?"

She nodded--her mouth was still full of the apple. She held up her finger for me to wait. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I didn't grab anything before we left the villa."

"That was my fault. I shouldn't have rushed you."

She waved me off. "It's fine." Something caught her eye and she pointed over towards the corner of the terminal. "Uh, Edward?"

I looked over to see a photographer watching us. I rolled my eyes. I wonder how long they'd been following us. "Ignore him. He can't come on the flight with us. And if he is, I plan on sleeping. Wouldn't be cover-worthy."

She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. "Think it's going to get worse after my book tour?"

I exhaled loudly. "I don't know. So far, it hasn't been bad. I've caught a few photographers following me in the last month, but they're not hounding us." I wrapped my arm around her. "Even if it does, what did I tell you?"

"You'll move us to Tibet."

"Exactly. I would never let anything happen to you or Claire."

We got on the plane and got situated for the twenty-plus hours of travel time ahead of us. Luckily, the photographer didn't board the plane.

Before I knew it, both of us had fallen asleep.

We stepped in the door of our home back in Seattle late the next night. I flicked on the lights and took the suitcases to the bedroom, hearing Bella's light footsteps behind me. We undressed and brushed our teeth before collapsing on the bed in exhaustion. Two weeks of non-stop traveling and sex had finally taken its toll on us.

We had tomorrow to ourselves and then it was back to the real world. Charlie was bringing Claire home in the morning and in all honesty, I couldn't wait to just sit back and relax with my two favorite girls.

I pulled Bella into my arms and breathed in her wonderful scent. If someone had told me when I moved to Seattle that, in less than two years, I would be married to a woman that surpassed anything I could have ever dreamed up on my own, that I would have a beautiful four-month-old little girl, be head of the Trauma Department at the hospital where I worked, one of the founders of the most rapidly growing charity organization to date, and on _People's_ Fifty Most Beautiful People list, I would have had them committed in a nanosecond.

My life with Bella was just beginning. There were a million things that were stacked up against us, threatening to pull us apart: the hospital, my work with the foundation, Bella's writing and book tour, our lives as parents, being thrown into the celebrity world. But none of it mattered right now. I wasn't delusional, I knew things wouldn't always be easy for us, but there was never any doubt in my mind that no matter what the world threw at us, Bella and I would always be together. She and I were nothing without each other, and I would spend the rest of my life trying to prove myself worthy of the beautiful angel sleeping in my arms.

**So I'm getting ready to start the epilogue after I post my update for Summer Nights. I know exactly what I want to say and I don't want to lose it!! Anyways, after I post the epilogue, I'll probably give myself a little break (like a week?) before I start on the sequel. Which reminds me, I need a name for that sucker! Any suggestions??? **

**I'm also seriously considering posting a reworked version of this on Twilighted...**


	37. Epilogue

**I just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews on this story!! They kept me writing, no matter if they were good or bad! If I never responded to any of your reviews, just know that it wasn't because I didn't appreciate them, I just have a job, a husband, and three kids...you get the picture.**

**This is a portion of the first chapter for the sequel...it's going to be set just before their first anniversary. I left out any and every reference to what they've been doing for the last 11 mos because as I mentioned before--this is a teaser ;)**

**Lemon ahead of course, because what would this story be without some B & E sexing it up?**

Epilogue--Between the Sun and the Moon, sequel to Defying Gravity

Bella

I opened up my hand, revealing the little star-shaped puffs in my palm. Claire's eyes immediately widened and she squealed in delight as her little, chubby hand reached out and grabbed one, fisting it in her mouth.

This, thankfully, calmed her down.

I quickly fixed her bow and looked back towards the terminal. Edward's flight was scheduled to arrive ten minutes ago.

I was anxiously bouncing Claire on my hip, waiting for my husband to finally come home from his three-week long trip to Africa for the foundation. Edward and I had agreed that Claire and I would stay back in Seattle, saving our daughter from the numerous inoculations she would need to fly over there safely. I hated being away from him, even if only for a short time. It was like I couldn't function without him, a thought that in all honesty was a little frightening.

Claire wiggled against my hip, trying to work her way down, and I finally gave up. I sat her down on the floor and crouched down with her. Her little brows furrowed and she quickly pulled herself up so that she was standing, and tottered around me.

"Da-ey?" she asked, waiting for my answer.

"Yes. Daddy." I answered my little fifteen-month-old.

She seemed to be doing everything early: sitting, walking, teething, crawling. She had sat at five months, crawled at seven, walked at ten. She had all of her teeth in already, and Edward and I were pretty sure she'd be talking in sentences within another couple of months.

"Please tell me she didn't start talking while I was gone." I instantly recognized the musical voice and I felt my entire body react; every part of me suddenly ached to touch the source.

I looked up and saw Edward hovering over us, his face exuberant and his eyes shining with joy. I quickly grabbed Claire and threw us in his arms.

"God, I missed you so much." I breathed in his wonderful, familiar scent and felt whole again.

"I missed you, too, love."

He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, parting them gently before pushing his tongue against mine. I sighed and felt myself melt into him. It was all I could do to hold on to our daughter.

He pulled back, smiling, and looked down at Claire. She was looking at him wide-eyed and had her hands outstretched towards him.

"Da-ey!" she squealed.

"Hi, baby!"

He took her into his arms and held her against his chest. She was so relaxed in his arms, her head laying against his heart. I saw her eyelids flutter closed and I smiled. She was just as much in love with her daddy as I was.

Edward ran his hands through her short bronze curls, looking back at me. "I missed her so much. She's grown." He looked back down at her in disapproval. "And I think her hair's a little longer."

"A little." I ran my hand across her back. "I think someone missed you, too," I chuckled.

He wrapped his free arm around me and led me over to the baggage claim. "Three weeks is too long. I'm not leaving you again for more than two weeks at a time. And that goes for you, too. You're not allowed to be gone for longer than two weeks at a time from now on."

I laughed. "Well, now you know how I felt when I was on my book tour."

He snorted. "I'd say I had it a lot worse than you did, love. At least you had Claire with you. And were in the country. I had Dad--in Africa."

I laughed. "I love your dad."

He handed me Claire so that he could grab his duffle bag, which caused her to scream loudly and stretch her hands out towards Edward again. Once he had his bag comfortably on his shoulder, he took her back from me, quieting her down immediately.

He looked at me with one eyebrow raised. "Am I never going to be allowed to leave without you two again?"

I hummed. "That sounds like great, baby."

He chuckled. "It does, doesn't it?"

We walked through the doors and were instantly assaulted with the flashing bulbs of the dozens of cameras waiting for us outside.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Edward muttered, adjusting Claire so that her face was buried in the crook of his neck.

I felt him reach for my hand and lead me towards the parking garage. "I'm on level three," I said quietly.

He nodded and pulled me into the elevator as soon as the doors opened. I punched to button and tentatively looked over at him. His face was like it was set in stone; his beautiful, green eyes hard. I saw the muscles in his jaw twitch and imagined he was currently grinding his teeth into stumps.

"Hey," I whispered, tugging his arm so that he faced me as soon as the doors closed. "Relax." I rubbed his arm soothingly.

"How can you be so fucking calm?" he countered. "We can't do _anything_ anymore."

I exhaled loudly. "Sure we can. We just have to plan a little more." He rolled his eyes.

The doors opened and we raced to the car, buckling Claire up in her seat and shutting the door, just as the photographers found us. Edward practically pushed me into the car before he turned around and smiled brightly at the camera.

I watched his interaction with the photographers for a few minutes in the side mirror, before Edward finally came around the driver's side and got in the door, starting the engine and backing out carefully.

"You okay?" I asked hesitantly, taking his free hand in mine.

He glanced over at me, his mouth turning up into his glorious crooked smile. "I am now."

******************************

Edward

God, how I missed my girls. After the three-weeks of mindless, heart-wrenching torture I endured in Africa, I wasn't going to go anywhere without them again.

Okay, so that probably wasn't realistic, but at the moment, I didn't care. I'd just have to figure something out. With my position at the foundation and Bella's writing, there were plenty of trips like this last one in the foreseeable future.

_Fuck._

We got home and I quickly took my bag to the bedroom before coming back to the kitchen. I took Claire from Bella, who was yelling loudly again, and walked over to the pantry. I handed Claire a package of baby food, watching her look at it with her little lips pursed in curiosity, while I grabbed another one and got some milk out of the fridge.

I sat her in her high chair with a couple of toys while I finished getting her dinner ready. She giggled happily when the little dog bounced out of her hands and started barking and vibrating across the tray.

I sat down in front of her and took the toys away, causing her to frown. "Are you hungry, my love?" She nodded furiously.

I held out the spoon with some sort of chicken and noodle concoction and watched her flash me her little teeth before opening her mouth widely. I watched her face scrunch up in disgust and laughed.

"Bella? I don't think she likes this one," I called out, still laughing.

"Try it again!" I glanced over and saw that Bella was chopping a green pepper.

"All right," I muttered. I looked back at Claire and got another spoonful. "Try it again, Mommy says."

I held out the spoon and she reluctantly opened her little mouth, letting me put the foul tasting stuff in it again. Her face scrunched up again and this time she actually shuddered. Apparently, she despised it--it was unbelievably funny.

"Okay, no more of that. I'm sorry," I chuckled. She looked at me like she wanted to reach over and strangle me.

After we finally got through with her feeding, I got her cleaned up and took her to her room, where I changed her diaper and put her in a sleeper.

I sat down in the glider and cradled her in my arms, running my fingers through her hair while I continuously hummed her lullaby to her. It wasn't long before she yawned and closed her eyes. I hummed a little while longer until the hand she had fisted on my chest relaxed and slid down to rest on her little body.

I sat there for a moment, just looking at my daughter's sweet face, and decided right then and there, I wanted another to have another baby. We'd always planned on more, but now the theory of more was no longer enough.

_If only I could convince my wife._

I put Claire in her crib and went to get the monitor off the charger in our bedroom as I made my way back to the kitchen. I got everything cleaned up and rinsed the bottle in the sink, putting it into the dishwasher when I was done. Then, I turned around and watched Bella silently.

She was running a spatula through the pan of whatever-she-was-making, making her perfect little ass jiggle slightly. I suddenly didn't give a fuck about eating--unless you counted Bella as the main course.

I walked up behind her, wrapped my arms around her waist, and rested my chin lightly on her shoulder.

"Where's Claire?"

"In bed," I said simply.

She fiddled with the knob and spun around in my arms. "Seriously?"

I had forgotten she'd been having trouble getting Claire to sleep recently. "Yeah, she was exhausted."

She rested her head on my chest and breathed in deeply. "Well, I think you've just gotten yourself a new job, Edward. How did you do it?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. I just did what I always do. I sat in the glider and hummed her lullaby to her."

She started to say something back, but was interrupted by her alarm on her cell phone. It was eight-thirty--time to take one of her birth control pills.

"You just going to stand there?" She hadn't moved and I was getting a little tired of listening to the incessant beeping.

"I have to start a new pack today. I left them in the car." She pressed herself even tighter against me, sighing. "I just don't want to go get them yet because that means I have to let you go."

I smiled at the opening she gave me. "So don't."

She snorted. "Yeah, okay, Edward."

I moved one hand up to her face and cupped her chin, bringing it up so that I could see her face. "I'm serious."

"I-I...What?" she sputtered.

I pressed my lips to hers, running my tongue across her lips. "Don't you ever think about having another baby?"

She let out her breath shakily. "Well, yeah. But-"

"But what?" I trailed a line with my tongue across her jaw, up to her ear. "We don't have to _try,_" I whispered into her ear.

I bit down gently on her ear lobe and heard her whimper. "What do you mean?"

I could feel her walls crumbling around her. Just a little more coaxing and she'd agree. It was easier than I thought it would be. She was normally so stubborn.

"All you have to do is stop taking those little pills. And then we'll just...see what happens." My hands slowly trailed up her sides until they were just under her breasts. I ran my thumbs along the bottom of her breasts and felt her shiver.

"I thought..." she swallowed audibly. "I thought we were going to wait until Claire was two."

"What's a few more months?" I kissed her again, this time more forcefully, and heard her breathe in deeply as our tongues met. "Please?" I murmured against her mouth, grinding myself against her. "Please?" I repeated.

I felt her slight nod against my face and that was all the encouragement I needed.

My hands ran across her body, instinctively knowing exactly where and how to touch her, and felt her respond instantly. I got to her ass and lifted her up, hitching her legs around my waist and carrying her to the bedroom.

"Edward! The food!" She laughed.

"Fuck the food," I growled.

I threw us on the bed, attacking her mouth with mine again as I let the fire in my body take over. I was no longer gentle as I bit down on her lip and kneaded her breast with one hand while my other hand cupped her, grinding my palm against her clit.

I quickly pulled her shirt off and unclasped her bra, taking her nipples in my mouth one at a time. I circled one with my tongue and then bit down gently, my dick getting harder as I heard her moan breathlessly.

She tugged on the hem of my shirt and I let her pull it off and run her hands down my chest, making me shudder and groan as she got further and further down to where my body ached for her.

I practically ripped her pants off her body and threw them on the floor, looking my beautiful wife over and watching her face flush as I did.

"So fucking beautiful." I grabbed her legs and pushed them apart. "I missed you." I ran my tongue over her clit. "Missed this."

I felt her hips buck up as I put two fingers inside her, moving them in and out slowly while my tongue continued to work her clit. It wasn't long before she was shouting my name and coming around my fingers.

I fumbled with my belt for a second and kicked my pants down to my ankles. "Love?" She opened her eyes and looked at me questioningly. "Are you sure?"

I knew it was physically impossible for it to happen tonight, but it felt like such a huge step to take, I wanted to make sure Bella was with me all the way.

"I'm sure." She smiled.

"Really?" I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice. We wanted another baby.

She giggled. "Really." She looked down at my dick and smirked. "You know, it's not going to happen unless you do something with that thing."

"Yes ma'am," I replied, pushing myself into her. "Oh, fuck," I grunted.

She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me further into her as I continued to thrust in and out. I placed open-mouthed kisses all along her shoulder, collarbone, neck, jaw. She grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me tenderly.

"I love you, Edward Cullen." I looked down and saw her eyes shining with tears.

"I love you, Isabella. Forever."

I interlaced her hands with mine and watched her face contort in pleasure as I continued to drive myself into her. I shifted my body so that I was hitting her most sensitive spot and felt her instantly tighten up around me. It wasn't long before she let out a soft moan while her walls rippled around me, causing me to finally lose control.

After we finally calmed down, I pulled her out of the bed and drug her to the car, grabbing the pills and taking them to the kitchen.

I looked over at the clock before looking into her confused face. I held up the pills, shaking them a little.

"Isabella Cullen? I want to make sure this is perfectly clear. You still have time to take one if you've changed your mind. I don't want to do anything you don't want to do and I most certainly don't want you to feel forced."

She put her hand over her mouth and laughed softly. "I don't feel forced, Edward." She took the pills from my hand and threw them in the trash. "And I'm sure. Maybe I'm not sure about how we're going to handle it if it happens right away, but I'm sure about you, about our beautiful daughter sleeping upstairs, and about our life together."

I saw no trace of anything hidden in her eyes and felt my face light up into a huge smile. "Well, not to frighten you or anything, but I hope it happens right away."

She giggled. "I figured." She furrowed her brows for a moment before speaking. "Hey, if it doesn't happen this month, do you think we can skip next month and use condoms? I really don't want to have to celebrate our kids' birthdays in the same month."

_Fuck me, condoms._ I kept my annoyance off my face. I really hated those things, but it was a small price to pay in the long run.

"Absolutely."

**So that's it! Like I said, I'm going to take a break and get my thoughts in order for this story...I already know a lot of what I want for this story, I just have to get it all mapped out. In the meantime, I'll be working on Summer Nights.**

**If you didn't catch it above, the title for the sequel will be Between the Sun and the Moon...and I just might use the title for one of Bella's books again ;)**


	38. AN

**Sequel is up with two chapters posted if you are interested!**

**Between the Sun and the Moon**

**.net/s/5399535/2/**


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